Against All Odds
by Dreammergurl2007
Summary: Sequel to Opposing Teams. Hermione and Draco are now living together and everything seems perfect until the old stereotypes and other nightmares come back to haunt them. DMHrG, RWOC, HPGW
1. A New Home

**A/N: Hey guys, welcome to my newest FanFic _Against All Odds_. As you might know, and you better, this is the sequel to _Opposing Teams,_ and because it's a sequel it is very heavily influenced by said fanfic, so I, the author, suggest that you read that one first otherwise this one will make little to no sense what-so-ever (major overstatement, i'm sure you'd be able to understand some bits.) Oh and on this one i've decided to include a disclaimer, like I should have done in the previous one. But that can be fixed... (manic cackle) I LOVE EDITING! WHOOT. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all of his magical workings belong to J.K. Rowling, what you don't recognize, BELONGS TO ME... get over it. (giggle)**

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Hermione sweated as she placed the last of her boxes into her new room at The Malfoy Manor. It was the weekend after Draco had suggested her moving in, and despite her eagerness to move in, it took a longer time then expected. She looked around and sighed. She decided to take a break and walked out onto her own personal balcony and sat down on the solitary chair and leaned back taking in the now setting sun whilst she reflected upon the last week.

_She was shaking as she walked into her house, well technically her parents house. They didn't know that she was moving out, hell, she didn't know that she was moving out until 4 hours ago. She had unbuttoned her shirt revealing the shirt underneath it and was now silently walking through the house in search for her parents. "Mum? Dad?" she said loudly._

_"Hermione?" she heard echoed from below. Hermione immediatly followed her father's voice down the basement steps to where they were working on their latest project. Cleaning and organizing the "Dungeon," as they liked to refeer to it._

_At first Hermione didn't spot her parents until they moved. They were so covered in dust they blended into the gray brick of the walls. "Wow, I never realized how much of a mess this place was."_

_"Yeah, neither did we." said her mother wiping dust from her watering eyes. She gave up after another fruitless attempt and just sat down on the washing machine with one eye closed. "anyway, what are you doing here? We thought you were spending the night at Draco's for a couple of nights."_

_"Well, you see, I am." she began._

_"And?" her father questioned sitting back on his butt after digging through another ratty box. "Hey! My old football cleats! I thought I lost those!" he exclaimed looking at them like they were a prized possesion even though you could see the age-old grass stains upon them. "And look! Here's your's Hermione!" he said pulling out a newer, smaller, and slightly less worn-out pair of black and white cleats. _

_Hermione stepped forward and took the cleats from her father, smling slighty. "I remember these. They're so old." she said fondly remembering how much she loved the game. It was something Dean Thomas and herself had agreed on. She ended up giving it up when she was accepted to Hogwarts. Her summer team was very depressed to see her go but Hermione knew that she couldn't keep playing, especially after finding out that she belonged in a different world then the one she was so comfortable in. Then again, they all thought she was sent away to an all-girls school for years, as if. " There is no way I'll be able to fit into these anymore." she laughed._

_"No," said her mother thoughtfully. "I suppose not. Anyway," her mother had an awful knack for saying 'anyway' a lot. " your staying at Draco's but your here, explain."_

_Hermione smiled slightly, not knowing what else to do, and went to sit next to her mother on the dryer. "Mum, Draco, he- he asked m- me to move in w-with him."_

_"Oh!" said her mum, her eyes getting wide. If Draco were there he would find out in an instant where Hermione's facial expressions came from. "Well, Hermione, that's wonderful dear! But, I thought you and Draco weren't that serious."_

_Hermione scooted a little away from her mum. "What makes you think that?"_

_"Oh, I don't know. Considering the fact that yesterday was the first day I've even heard of him." she said smiling, she loved to torment her daughter sometimes._

_"Mum," Hermione said embarrased. _

_"Hermione," said her mum and dad at the same time causing her to laugh. "No, seriously honey, we didn't know, but then again, we don't know a lot of things." said her Dad standing up after slowly placing the cleats back into the box. He smiled at his daughter and she smiled back._

_"Well," her mum said after a few moments of all around smiling. "What'd you say?"_

_"I said yes." said Hermione. "But I wanted to make sure that it was ok with you before I did."_

_"Well, if your sure, which i'm sure your sure, then it's ok with me." said her mum and her dad nodded back. "But you must tell me everything about your handsome and dashing Draco."_

_"Mum," said Hermione again._

_"Hermione," they said again before hugging their little, well not so little anymore, girl._

_---_

_"Of course we'll help." Said Ron and Ginny. Hermione decided to stop at the Burrow one afternoon to see everyone. Much to her shock, and Ginny's dissapointment, Harry had already found a place to move to. Even though it wasn't very far away it still made Ginny depressed, though very slightly, as he came to visit almost everyday. "Just tell us when."_

_"It's got to be soon." Said Hermione sitting down, nursing a cup of tea between her hands from a chipped daisy mug. " I leave next month for Nuada's. But now, I don't have to worry about the board or anything! I'm taking my apparition test next week and Draco's house is connected to the Floo network. Mum and Dad's isn't and I can't apperate there without causing suspicious. To many nosy neighbors."_

_Ron and Ginny listened to this rambling all in silence before Ron snorted trying to cover up his laugh. _

_"What!" she asked._

_"Your rambling like a love sick lunatic!" said Ginny now smling broadly. "Hey! That rhymed! I'm a poet..."_

_"And you didn't even know it?" finished Hermione._

_"Oh shut up you!" Ginny said sticking her tongue out._

_"Very Junvinile Ginny."_

_"Well, guess what? I'm allowed to be, I'm not 17 yet. so..." she said before pausing. "take that!" she finished somewhat lamely, causing Hermione to laugh._

_---_

_Ginny and Lindsay helped Hermione pack while the boys (Draco, Ron and Harry) took her already packed stuff over to the Manor since they were the ones who could apperate and the girls couldn't. _

_When it came down to it Hermione had suggested, and Draco agreed, that for the time being Hermione should have her own room in the Manor. So Draco let her pick the room and she chose the guest room right across from his suites. It had a big window, that lead to the balcony which she was currently standing on,on the far side with big tall green curtains (she made a mental note to change that), the walls were a pale sort of green (and that as well), the furniture was gorgeous though. It was light brown wood with metal supports. There was a queen sized bed, a dresser with a huge mirror ontop, an armoir, a vanity and a full-length mirror, and all was placed around the space so it filled it nicely. There was a large closet and her own bathroom attached (Hermione particularly liked this feature. It had a large tub and seperate shower with a view of the backyards to remember.)._

_---  
_Hermione jerked out of her daze when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder. She was still a little jumpy but calmed when she saw it was Draco. "Hey you." she said softly.

"Hey," he said wrapping his arms around her from behind. He put his chin on her shoulder.

"Where is everyone?" she asked quietly, as if she were afraid to speak normally because that would break the mood she was feeling right now.

"Well, you see, they have lives too. Ginny and Ron are back at the Burrow. Lindsay is safely at home, I saw to that one, Harry had to go to Quidditch practice or some nonsense like that." Earlier that month, just after they all got out of school a scout for the Chuddly Cannons came and spoke to Harry saying _since that our seeker has decided on an early retirement after a nasty bludger incident last week, we're looking for a new seeker and I have it on several referrences, which include Madam Hooch and Professors McGonnagal and Dumbledore of Hogwarts school that you're an excellent Quidditch player.._ and you can imagen how the rest of that conversation went. Right at the moment he was still 'in training' but that was due to stop as the season was about to end and the new season begin come fall. "and you and I are standing here, at my family home, on your balcony staring at a sunset on, quiet possibly, the most exhusting day of my life."

"Aw, come on, you don't mean that!" said Hermione standing up and going into his arms again.

"No, I really think I do. No, wait." he said as if he were deep in thought. "There was one other day that would quilify as more exhusting then this."

"And what day would that be?" she asked, now, not quiet liking the glint in his eyes.

"The day I thought I'd lost you." he said softly looking into her eyes seriously.

Hermione gave him a tiny smile and then hugged herself around him tighter as if she were trying to kill the chill that suddenly went through them both. He held her tight and vowed to himself that he would never let anything, ANYTHING ever happen to his dear Hemione. "I love you Draco."

"I love you too." he said smiling again, he kissed her forehead and watched the sun finally sink under the horizon for the first time of the rest of his life. Everything had changed and he was determinded to make this work despite the fact they were both going against all odds.

---

**A/N: Well, that's chapter number one. I hope you guys liked it. Kudos to everyone who reviewed OT and future Kudos to my, hopefully, up and coming reviewers! I love you guys _Brittany_**


	2. Apparition and Accidents

A/N: Hey guys, I'm on a roll! Here's chapter 2 and I think that I'm going to write chapter three as well!

Disclaimer- Read Chapter 1

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_Destination, Determination, Deliberation_. It was the mantra Hermione kept repeating in her head. She thought hard about where she was supposed to go and turned around and then opened her eyes. The field she was supposed to be apperating to was there and she was in the little red box she was supposed to be in. She turned to the witch next to her and smiled.

"Full Marks. Head back to the department for your scores." said the old witch kindly while writing her marks on a piece of parchment in a self-inking quill.

Hermione smiled and with another turn she was back inside the Ministry of Magic and was yet again, inside the box. She sighed a breath of relief and looked to the Wizard who just looked up from his paper and handed it to her. " Take this to the desk outside and pay 7 sickles and you've got yourself an Apperation License."

Hermione had to resist the urge to jump up and down and go give the guy a swift kiss. She managed a smile and a calm walk out of the door before doing the happy dance. After she was done, she realized she was attracting quiet a lot of attention. She smiled again weakly, straightened her hair which was starting to fall out of her ponytail and walked calmly to the desk while pulling her shirt straight. It was quick and with a few questions and a picture she walked out with a shiny new license to show Draco.

She rode the life to the atrium and walked to the fireplace and decided to floo to Malfoy Manor. Apperation makes you kinda tired and she still had a lot of unpacking to do. She threw a handful of power in the flames from a silver tin on the mantle that had the ministry logo imprinted upon them and called out "Malfoy Manor."

A half of a minute later she was swirling out of the fireplace, finally managing to catch herself before she hit the floor. She stood up and sighed and looked around. She'd come out of the fireplace by the front door like everyone did. She went into the parlor and when she didn't find Draco she went through the next door to the office where he sat hunched over a old mahogany desk. She stood there for a moment watching him as he ran his hands through his hair. When he sighed and put his head down she decided this was a good time to go over and say hi. She slowly walked towards him, her well worn in muggle sneakers not making any noise against the hardwood floor. When she reached him she put her hands on his shoulders and felt him stiffen a little. "Hey, it's ok, it's just me." she said before laying down on his back, resting her head on his neck.

He smiled a little, although she couldn't tell. "Hey you." be began miserably.

"What's wrong?" she asked detecting the worry or sorrow in his voice. She couldn't quiet be sure which.

He knew she would see right through one of his lies. "I got a letter from my father."

"Oh." she said letting him straighten up. When he did, she rotated the chair away from the desk and went to sit on his lap. "And?" she questioned.

"Well, you know. I got all the "Why are you doing this to me?", and "Your going to die boy," and...some other stuff." he avoided that part.

"What sort of stuff?" Hermione asked suspicously.

"It's nothing, really." he said trying to inject some confidence into his voice.

"Draco." she began sternly. She looked to her right and on the desk was a low quality piece of parchment. She quickly grabbed it and squiggled out of Draco's grasp. "Hermione!" he said trying to grab it back.

"Hold on," she said walking away from him, he gave up and slumped back into the chair and ran his hands over his eyes.

_Draco,_

_Your such a disgrace to the name _Malfoy. _Why are you doing this to me! I've been a good father to you, haven't I? I've always gotten you everything you've ever wanted. Your broomsticks and everything else. I cared for you boy! and because you didn't care back you deserve to die! There are still death eaters out there! and the first person on their agenda is the traitor you! If you get me out of here, I can protect you! I swear._

_In the mean time while you sit there in our manor, while I sit in this dungheap, I hope you arn't out and about disgracing the Malfoy name. We still comand some sort of respect from the wizarding world. _

_From this moment on I forbid you to see that Mudblood anymore,and if I find one trace of unworthy blood in my house when I get home your going to wish the death eaters got you! I swear._

_Your Father,_

_Lucius_

Hermione looked up from the letter. _How could anyone be like that! So needy and yet so spiteful. I mean, honestly, first begging for the charges to be dropped, as if that's going to happen, he's going against the whole wizarding world practically, and then turning around and telling him how to live his life. What a donkey! _"Well, isn't that, pleasent?"

"Hermione, I'm so sorry, you didn't need to see that." Draco said standing up and walking to her. He gently pried the paper from her hands.

"No, Draco, it's fine. Don't worry about it." she said smiling at him. She went up to him and hugged him tight to her. She felt his arms wrap around her and he sighed. "As long as you don't start follow his "advice" there is no reason I should worry and neither should you."

He smiled at her. "I knew there was a reason i'm dating you."

She looked at him. "And what is that?"

"Your always looking for the silver lining within the darkest clouds." he said before bending his head and kissing her.

"What can I say? I try." she said while laughing. The laughter was cut short though as a very forceful beating on the front door sounded through out the hall. "Who would be calling now?" she said as it was still very early, 9 o' clock or so.

"I dunno, we should find out though before they break down my front door." He said releasing her, snatching his wand up from the desk and motioning for her to follow. She nodded and pulled her wand out from her jacket pocket and walked with him to the door, shedding the jacket so she could move more freely.

Draco stood by the door and motioned for her to stand back with her wand ready to jinx the person who came through. He opened it a crack and immediatly looked back.

Hermione looked anxious and in stepped Ron holding a shaking Ginny against his side. "There's been an accident."

**A/N: I know this is a short chapter but I had to stop it there, it's a priceless cliff-hanger! Anyway, Chapter dedications to...**

**amorreal: Thank you so much for your review, and guess what? You were the first one! So you get double thanks! Thanks so much for the compliments! and Shhh, don't spoil anything! hehe, but, maybe (winks) and I totally agree, Tom Felton is a hottie. Thanks so much, see you next chapter _Brittany_**


	3. In St Mungo's

**A/N: Dun dun dun... haha, I love cliff-hangers. I've got a question. Does ANYONE read these? I mean seriously. I try to be witty and funny and I'm getting the impression that my time is totally wasted on these things... seriously. Also, my hit counter is going nuts, but I'm not getting that many reviews, I mean come on everyone...haha, Anyway... Chapter 3 of Against All Odds! (I almost typed Opposing Teams, mawhahaha)**

**Disclaimer: Read Chapter 2!**

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Hermione could almost feel her face going white. "An accident?" she choked out.

Ron nodded solemnly. "A death eater attack."

Hermione grasped and she felt Draco's hands go to her shoulders. "Who...?"

Ginny looked up, she's was now shaking because of her tears. "Harry." she said before covering her face up.

Hermione's jaw dropped and in a moment she was kneeling on the floor with Ginny rocking her back in forth as Ron and Draco knelt behind them rubbing their backs.

---

Inside the next hour Hermione had gone and gotten Lindsay who was now sipping tea with everyone else in Malfoy Manor awaiting visiting hours at St. Mungos. Ginny wasn't really doing anything at all.

_After they got Ron and Ginny comfortable in the parlor, Ron voiced that he thought that he would like Lindsay to be there, but he didn't want to leave incase something happened. Hermione then said that she would go get Lindsay, so she appeared to her house and knocked on the door. _

_"Come In!" came Lindsay's sing song voice from inside._

_Hermione pushed open the door and walked in and looked around. She couldn't see Lindsay. "Lindsay?" she called out._

_"Hold on." Said Lindsay from the Kitchen._

_"Okay." she said, not wanting to bother her when she was possibly messing with knifes or kitchen utensils of the sort. She walked into the dinning room and sat down and put her head onto the table, resting it on her arms._

_"Who wants waffles!" she said coming out of the kitchen wearing a flowery apron, waving a spatula in the air. Hermione looked up at his and in an instant Lindsay dropped the spatula. "Who died?"_

_Hermione stood up. "No one, but there's been an accident."_

_Lindsay's face dropped. "It's Ron ok?" she questioned, worry for her boyfriend in every word._

_"He just needs you at the moment."_

_Lindsay didn't falter. She quickly turned back into the kitchen, turned everything off, seeing as she was a muggle-born like Hermione herself. She quickly grabbed a jacket, her wand off the door side table and scribbled a note to her parents before grabbing Hermione and leading her outside. They quickly ran down an alley and Hermione grabbed Lindsay's arm and they appeared to Malfoy Manor._

---

Ginny, after almost an hour of waiting was now pacing in front of the window, casting glances, every few seconds, back to the old grandfather clock in the corner. Hermione sat on the couch with her feet resting on Draco's lap, trying to read a book but her eyes wouldn't focus, as he attempted to be interested in a game of wizards chess with Ron while Lindsay sat in a chair next to them, curled up looking at the game but her eyes were hazy and glazed over.

The moment the clock chimed 11 and Ginny practically ran to the cloak closet. She grabbed her jacket and threw the other's theirs. She immediately grabbed a handful of floo power and threw it into the low flames. "St. Mungos!" she shouted and went spinning off. They let Ron and Lindsay go next and Draco and Hermione followed.

When they came spinning out of the fireplace, they found Ginny at the reception desk talking to the welcome witch.

"Harry Potter." she said horribly.

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Potter's ward has been blocked off to visitors unless your on this list."

Ginny didn't even look at the list. "I'm on the effing list."

The witches smile faded slightly. "Name."

"Ginerva Weasley."

The witch didn't even consul the list. "All Weasley's are permitted." she said unsmiling " and your names?"

"Ronald Weasley." Ron said at once, the witch nodded at him.

"Hermione Granger." Hermione said quickly. The witch again nodded.

She looked at Draco who promptly said. "I'm don't think that I'm on that list."

"Name?" she asked sweetly.

"Draco Malfoy." he said uncertainly.

She checked the list again. "Your right, your not. You may either wait in the lobby or in the tea shop." she turned to Lindsay then. "I'm sure I'm not on there either. Lindsay Davenporte."

"Again you may wait in the lobby or the tea shop. You three," she said pointing to Hermione, Ginny and Ron." May go up and see him. Ward 44, Derwant Ward, Room 14. Password to the ward, Snitch." she said quickly. Ginny quickly nodded and went sprinting down the hallway. Ron gave Lindsay a quick kiss on the cheek and went running down the hallway at a slightly slower pace then Ginny.

"Draco, are you going to be okay?" Hermione asked stepping aside.

"Yeah Hermione, Go see Harry, I'll be in the tea room when your done." he said giving her a firm push in the direction of the door. Hermione gave him a grateful look and went running in the direction Ron and Ginny had disappeared.

She quickly ran up 3 flights of stairs and came out on a landing, off which there were 5 wards with white doors and name plates above them. In front of one ward was a ministry of magic guard who was looking a little bored with his wand loosely off to his side. She walked over to him. "Snitch." she said quickly and he let her through the door. All the doors off this hallway were closed except one, Harry's.

---

Ginny ran quickly through the hallway down to where Harry was. She quickly stopped in the doorway and looked for him. Despite the 4 beds in the room only one was occupied.

Harry laid in his bed wearing a backless hospital robes and had a sheet resting over the lower portion of his body, except his leg which was wrapped up healing. At the moment he was sleeping looking at the opposite wall. Ginny, not wanting to wake him up slowly walked towards him. Halfway there she heard Ron run pass the room then backtrack, although he didn't follow Ginny into the room but instead stood right inside of the doorway. Hermione did the same thing when she arrived.

Ginny slowly ran her eyes over her boyfriend. His right eye was swollen up to the side of a very small orange, his lip was split and his left wrist was taped up. Ginny sighed softly. At least he was alive and still in one piece. She quietly walked over to him and took his un injured hand into her. She bent over and whispered in his ear. "Harry?" she said. His eyes fluttered and turned towards the voice. "Ginny." he said, his vision was blurry, all he saw was an outline of a person but he knew that voice.

She smiled and gave him a hug where he loosely, and softly gave her one back with his uninjured arm. She stood up again and handed him his glasses which had been repaired.

"Thank you." he said and tried to push himself up into a sitting position, Ginny had to help him. Once up in he looked toward the door. "Hey Ron, Hermione." he said smiling weakly at them.

They smiled and walked over to him. Hermione quickly conjured comfortable seats for them all and they all sat around him, Ginny on one side and Ron and Hermione on the other. They tried to keep the conversation light but it was hard. They all wanted to know what really had happened.

"I suppose you all want to know what happened, right?" Harry asked after about a half an hour.

"Yes, we'd like to know that too." said Mr. Weasley from the doorway. Mrs. Weasley was already walking towards Harry's bed, and Fred, George and Percy stood behind him. Mrs. Weasley gave him a kiss on his cheek before she began fussing over him. She only stopped when Mr. Weasley told her that he appeared to already be taken care of.

"I don't know where to start." Harry stated. Ginny was holding his uninjured hand and she gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"The beginning is always nice." Said Fred, winking at Harry.

"Well, you see Fred, the beginning has to much information for you to know, I think I'll start in the middle."

---

_It was my second week of practice with my new teammates and we were having a practice skirmish with our reserves. I was flying around the orange and black pitch and then I saw it. The golden snitch. Not wanting to disappoint my new teammates I raced towards it. I dove under a bludger and over a pair of chasers. It was inches from my hand when all of a sudden a red light came from the ground and pulled my broom from under me. I looked about, trying to cling to my broom as it started a quick descent to the ground. Death eaters. I looked above me and my teammates were in a variety of distress. 3 of them were frozen in place, 4 of them were on the ground unconscious, 2 of them were squirming around under the cruciatius curse and the last four of them, the girls, were being rushed at by a mob. The death eaters, a good half dozen or so, were aiming spells at me. It was still to high to jump from by broom and if I tried to get my wand out they would notice it and disarm me faster then I could say "Quidditch" I waited. When they viciously slammed me into the ground, that's when my wrist broke. I stood up quickly, and they formed a semi-circle in front of me. I pulled out my wand and saw them falter, could it be because of the performance I gave against Voldemort? Were they there or did they hear about it, I never found out._

_The first one shot a disarming spell at me which I deflected by shouting "Protego!" loudly_.

"_Oh, ickle potty kins thinks he can play with the big bad death eaters_._" said a cooing voice from the batch. _

"_Yeah, I reckon, I can handle you bunch." I said confidently. They couldn't be any worse then Voldemort. And I was right. A couple of stunning spells and 3 of them were down for the count and I was giving the others to much to worry about instead of them going over and awakening their fallen comrades. After a quick glance over my shoulder, I saw that the frozen players had recovered and were now down on the ground, quickly dueling and stunning the death eaters who had placed the Cruciatius curse on the others. The one's with the curse on them were still laying on the ground panting but they looked to be ok. The girls had managed to get their death eaters up against the wall, held there with strong ropes and were now firmly snapping their wands in front of their faces. _

_Why couldn't anyone notice me? I'm the one still fending off 3 death eaters by myself. Not that I couldn't handle it but it would be nice if I had some to help. Just then Aurors stormed the field, I guess one of the spectators watching our practice had apperated to the ministry and alerted them to a death eater attack. Just then the one death eater who made the cooing voice turned to them and sent a large wave of a spell, while another one decked me in my eye as soon as my attention was turned. I fell to the ground and he kicked me in my lip before they all apperated, except the 4 who were tied to the wall. I had the wind knocked out of my when the wave spell reverberated off of the stadium wall and came back. It knocked those who were standing on to their backs. _

_I tried to stand up but my leg didn't feel like it wanted to work, I looked down and it was at an odd angle. When did that happen? I asked myself while I clutched it with my uninjured arm. I could feel sweat breaking out on my forehead, and I started to feel nauseous. I looked up as a shadow covered me. It was Tonks and Kingsley Shaklebolt. They both grabbed one of my arms and pulled me up into a standing position. "Up you get Harry." and with that they apperated me to St. Mungo's._

" And that's about it." Harry finished lamely. All around him faces were in shock. Ginny was looking at him slack jawed, as was most of her family and Hermione had put her hand over her mouth. "Now, don't go looking all shocked. I'm fine."

"Fine!" said Ginny. "Fine my arse!" Her parents looked at her shocked but didn't say anything. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?" she said standing up and towering over him.

"Hey, it's not my fault." he said meekly before turning back to Ron.

They talked for another hour until the healer in charge came in a ran them out.

Hermione and Ron went upstairs to find Lindsay reading the _Quibbler _and Draco drinking tea finishing a wizarding crossword. "Lets go." Hermione said. Draco and Lindsay both got up and in moments everyone was back home again (Ron dropped Lindsay off this time.)

"Everything okay?" asked Draco when they got home.

Hermione nodded. "Everything should be just fine." she said, she smiled and kissed him. "Oh and I got my apparition license!" she said excitedly. They spent the rest of the day at her parents house.

**A/N: Okay, I know, lame ending for a kinda cool chapter, but I assure you next chapter will be so much cooler. Anyway, Chapter Dedications to...**

**Elena Faye- Thanks so much for your review. ASAP I will be reading your stories but it's been chaos around here. I promise. Thanks again!**

**angeleyes- Thanks so much, I'm glad you liked O.T.. It was fun to write. Thanks for your review**

**Kristin- Thanks for your compliments, I hope you like this chapter!**

**amorreal- Thanks for your oh-so-long review, it was great! Tell your friend that I'm glad she recommends my stories to people, it makes me feel special. Also good job, are you a seer? Lol, JK, that was kinda lame. Haha and Tom Felton is a hottie and it's ok tobe a blabbermouth, because I'm one too! Thanks for your review**

**disquized- Thanks for your review and I'm glad that O.T. wasn't confusing, I thought it was a times, then again I'm the author and I'm trying to figure out backlines for it but it doesn't really work. Haha, anyway, I figured after all they've gone through they would all be really supportive over each other's decisions so... yep. Thanks again for your review and I hope you like this chapter!**

**Venus Mercury- Thanks for your kind words and compliments. They mean a lot. I'm glad you like both of my stories! **


	4. All Too Soon

**A/N: Hey guys (and girls), here's chapter number 4, sorry for the delay**

--

Draco had run out again and Hermione ended up first changing the colors of her bedroom to a dark red with gold trim. Very Gryffindor. It was now dusk and Hermione was starting to get worried. Draco still wasn't home. After they left her parents, around 4 he went out again not offering any information on where he was going.

She put her worrying aside and went downstairs and heated up canned soup. There really wasn't anything else in the house. She made a mental to-do list and put grocery shopping on it. Another hour went by and she started to yawn. Her eyes were bleary and she couldn't really focus on her book anymore. She yawned, set her book on the table beside of the chair she was sitting on, waved her wand and extinguished the torches, and went upstairs after making sure the front door was locked. Draco had a key he could use.

She quickly washed her face, brushed her teeth and hair, climbed into pajamas and then into bed. After that moment, she knew no more.

---

Draco apparated outside the door and shook his head. He felt better now that he had all of that off of his chest. He looked up at the windows of the house and noted that they were all dark. Confused he checked his watch. 12:39 am, when did that happen? Hermione was probably asleep and for some reason he felt disappointed about it, then again he really didn't expect her to wait up for him, she did have to get to work the next day. He suddenly felt really sleepy. He shook his head again and walked up the rest of the way to the house. He went to pull out the key from his pants pocket and stopped and he looked up.

When he went to reach for the door knob he couldn't find it. The door was wide open. His thoughts immediately strayed to his father's letter which he received this morning. _It couldn't be happening yet, could it!_ His next thought was, _Hermione!_

She was probably inside sleeping and now those creatures were in there with her. He wasn't thinking anymore. He send a patronus to the guard at the gate. He was scared and he knew it but he wasn't scared for himself but for Hermione who was upstairs probably in a deep sleep right now. Assuming, of course, that they hadn't gotten to her already.

He decided that he couldn't wait for Aurors to arrive, he had to go get Hermione. Silently he pushed open the door to the house and crept inside. He could just barely make out the dark shadows making their way silently up the stairs to the second floor. They had apparently already searched the first floor. He couldn't fathom why though, it would make sense that since all the lights were off in the house that the occupants were either a) not there or b) asleep and since it was nearly 1 in the morning it was probably the latter.

He went up the stairs in a crouched position behind the death eaters making sure to stay in the shadows. Luckily for him they went to right and went through the master bedroom. Draco quickly sprinted down the hallway and ran into Hermione's room.

He looked and saw her sleeping form laying in the bed. As quickly and as silently as he could he raced to her side. He roughly shook her awake and covered her mouth when she gasped aloud. "Hermione, get up, we've got to go. They're here."

She didn't need to ask. She threw the covers off of her, grabbed her wand from the bedside table and followed draco quietly to the door , her bare feet not making a sound on the hardwood floor. Draco looked out the door and saw the death eaters coming down the hallway towards them. He silently swore and pushed Hermione back into the room. The went through to her bathroom and opened the balcony doors.

The wind was strongly blowing so the doors slammed against the wall with a loud crack. Draco swore again, this time it was anything but silent. Storm clouds were coming in and covering the moonlight. Draco could hear footsteps now running through the house. He looked up and saw the ledge of the roof. He grabbed Hermione who pocketed her wand in her pants and helped her up onto the ledge before grabbing it and swinging up himself.

Below them a half dozen death eaters came scrambling out onto the terrace.

Hermione was breathing heavily as they slowly crawled backwards up the roof. Hermione was thinking. "Draco, where are our broomsticks?" she asked quickly and quietly.

He thought. "Broom cupboard, just outside the backdoor."

She nodded and looked in the direction of the backyards. "We need a summoning charm."

"Hermione, you know as well as I do that the summoning charm won't be strong enough if we don't say the incantation."

"I know, but hun, I hate to say it I don't think it matters much anymore." she said looking petrified in front of her.

He turned back and 15 feet in front of them stood 6 death eaters. They scrambled to their feet and got into a dueling position. Both faces showing an equal amount of fear, resolve and a look of vengeance.

Below them they could hear the sounds of apperating wizards. Hermione put on a grim smile. They wouldn't frighten her anymore. She waited for them to start. At once a short death eater stepped forward to duel with them. He was so cocky he thought that he could take on a fully qualified witch and wizard, granted they were a bit young.

"Flagrate!" he shouted intending on creating painful wounds on the two would be victims, but he didn't realize what was coming up.

"Reducto!" shouted Draco, and a split second later Hermione brought up a large shield charm to cover both herself and draco by shouting, "Protego!"

The flagration charm backfired on the caster who was still reeling from the reduction charm and left him with very deep welts on his arms to deal with.

The shield disappeared leaving Hermione and Draco prepared to duel again, this time with their backs to each other, both facing the enemy. Two more death eaters stepped forward, one for each Hermione and Draco.

Hermione's breath raced. She acted instinctively when her opponent shouted "Immobulus!" at her, she jumped out of the way and went into a roll, when she gained to her feet she pointed her wand again. "Incarcerous!" she shouted and managed to bind ropes around her opponent who went rolling down the slope of the roof. Hermione shouted "Impedimenta!" and stopped her from falling the rest of way. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she shouted again and moved the death eater behind a chimney and let her rest against it before engaging herself in another battle with another death eater.

Draco didn't watch as Hermione took down her death eater but concentrated on his own battle. This guy looked confused. "Expelliarmus!" the wand came sailing towards Draco. "Impedimenta! Incarcerous!" he shouted quickly and soon that death eater as well was tied up. That left two very large death eaters and one tiny petite one who was commanding. The two big ones were slowly, very slowly backing Hermione and Draco towards the edge of the roof.

Draco looked at Hermione who got what he was going to say in an instant. She nodded her head and focused her thoughts back onto the current situation.

"Now, now, isn't this a predicament." The wider of the two said holding his wand up to Draco's chin. "Either come with us or jump."

One of them looked up and down Hermione as if she were a prize, she smiled at him, gave him a wink and then in a very cheery voice for someone who was just woken up in the middle of the night and had to duel two very stupid wizards said, " I think we'll jump." and at that point her and Draco turned and leapt off of the house.

Hermione had never been so scared yet so concentrated in her life. On the rooftop she had been concentrating on opening the locked broomshed with several silent alohomora charms, then sending draco a message using legimens telling him to summon his broomstick. Just before they jumped they both shouted "Accio Broomstick!"

She could hear her broomstick rocketing up to meet her, She grabbed it with her left hand, her right still holding onto her wand and stuck it under her legs and pulled herself up out of a dive. She turned around to see Draco speeding towards her on his Firebolt. They both leaned low over the broomstick, Draco shooting spells over his shoulder while Hermione shouted "Protego maximus!" providing a shield around them as they glided out to the gates where several aurors were waiting.

**A/N: I told you this chapter would me a lot more interesting. I think I'm going to start doing review comments through email, so look for them within the next few days, just not now lol.**

**Dedications too...**

**SlytherinSweetie88**

**Dragongween27**

**LP Hybrid28**

**BlaireC**

**Amorreal**


	5. Welcome

**A/N: I have none, haha.**

Draco was mad. Actually pissed would be a better word. He was sitting in the Ministry of Magic in the Auror's office while people ran around. Although a couple death eaters had been captured, more then half of them escaped, making it nearly impossible to send them back home. They would have to be relocated.

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. The Auror's were busy writing up reports, getting the proper papers and making arrangements. He and Hermione were seated in separate rooms at first to tell them their own versions of what happened they were now in a small office that held a desk, that had clearly seen better days, a worn out couch, some dusty filing cabinets and an empty fish bowl.

Draco looked up from the hole in the desk he was staring at that was made by a poorly aimed spell to the couch where Hermione was laying. She was on her back stretched out with one arm thrown over the side of the couch and one over her eyes blocking the light that came through the windows.

He stared at her for a long time. It could have been seconds, minutes or even hours. This was all his fault, if he didn't try to get him to like him, if he didn't fall in love with her and just wait as she fell in love with him, if he didn't make that deal with his father and Voldemort, if he didn't let her go when he could have (after the train ride), if he hadn't brought her into this whole new world different from the one she was so used to, his world, she'd be safe.

"Don't think that, Draco," Hermione said from the couch, not moving.

"What?" he looked up startled.

"Don't you dare start thinking about my safety."

"...but...how?" he said confused.

"I was in your head, Legilimens."

"I thought that only worked on memories," he said scratching his head

"It does, when your thinking, what you think gets cemented into your short term memory, I only got to when you said something about letting me go. Which, by the way, is not going to happen again," she said turning her head towards him.

He sighed, stood up and walked towards her. He sat down near her head and she put it in his lap. "Hermione," he said.

"No Draco, I'm not leaving you, until I have a good reason too."

"It's very dangerous," he said weakly, playing with a piece of her hair in one hand. He thought back to when Hermione was doing the same to him last year.

"I know, but I'm willing to take that risk. I'm not going to lose you again, that month was hell. Draco," she said looking up at him seriously. She waited until he made eye contact with her. "I love you, I'll stick with you."

He looked at her, she looked so determined. "I knew there was a reason that I loved you. Your determination."

"Really, and all this time I thought it was because you love my fiery personality," She said sarcastically.

"There's that too," he said smiling. The first smile he had worn in over 12 hours.

She smiled, but it slowly slid off of her face as she fell into deep thought. Draco let her think, he rested his head back against the wall and despite his will to stay awake soon fell asleep. Hermione followed only minutes later.

---

Tonks shook her head. This was insane. Two attacks in one day on high profile people. She looked back over the report and sighed.

Attacker: Death Eaters

Victim(s): Hermione Granger; Draco Malfoy

She could already see the headlines in the morning paper

_When We Thought It Was All Over_

_Attacks on Harry Potter and his sidekick Hermione Granger bring terror to the wizarding community_

She shook her head again, stood up, made a copy of the report and filed the original away. Next step, clarify housing arrangements. Where could she put them, where would there be a lot of people to help incase of a battle, where would they feel the most comfortable.

---

Arthur Weasley came charging out of the elevator. He was worried, scared and most of all concerned. He marched right up to Tonks, who he had just got done talking to through the fire down in the ministry lobby. She was sitting at her desk finishing up the last report. "Where is Hermione?" he asked quickly.

She looked up and gave him a small smile. "Back there, they're resting. Arthur, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Yes."

"Is Molly okay with it?"

"Your joking, right?" he said with a small grin. "She was the one who made me get up and come down here."

"It's just for a short while," she said standing up and leading the way to the small office.

---

"Hermione!" shouted Molly Weasley as her husband Arthur apparated behind the two teenagers who were now taking a few steps towards the front door of the burrow. She pulled Hermione into a bone crushing hug which Hermione returned warmly. "Are you okay?" she asked looking Hermione deep in the eyes.

"I'm fine Mrs. Weasley, a little shaken up but fine," said Hermione with a smile. Mrs. Weasley had an arm around her as she lead the way into the kitchen for a cup of tea. Arthur followed with Draco walking behind him.

Hermione blinked as she entered the brightly lit kitchen. Sitting at the table was some of the big Weasley clan. Ron leapt up as soon as she walked in and put his arms around her in a hug. "I was so scared," he said.

"There's no reason to be," she said soothingly. Stepping back from Ron she saw Fred and George who were nodding off at the center of the table, Bill who was standing behind the chair that held his wife, Fleur, nodded to her as Fleur sighed a breath of relief while absently rubbing a hand over her stomach who was just starting to show the mark of child. Percy was sipping a drink, his wife, Penelope was upstairs with their 3 month old son Gideon. Ginny and Charlie were no where to be found in the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley seated Hermione and pushed Draco into the seat next to her while she bustled around the kitchen making up a very large pot of tea.

Ron looked up. "Malfoy," she said curtly.

"Weasley," Draco nodded.

"Ronald," said Hermione in warning.

Ginny came into the kitchen then very slowly. She had her arm around someone and was helping him walk. When he came into view Hermione saw that it was Harry. It seemed they released him after the attacks on Hermione and Draco, figuring that it would be easier to protect them all if they were at the same location.

"Hermione," he said and hobbled forward to give her a hug, which Ginny followed.

"When did you get here?" Hermione asked while she and Ginny helped him into a seat

"What are you talking about! I live here!" said Ginny trying to make a joke.

"Ginny," Said Hermione and Harry in the same exasperated tone. "They sent me here about an hour before you got here," Harry finished.

After everyone was situated with tea cups in their hands and soft cookies to nibble on Mr. Weasley practically begged Hermione to tell her story. She'd just gotten started when Ginny's excited squeal broke the silence. "Charlie's coming home!"

Sure enough Charlie's hand on the clock was rapidly going from Work to Traveling and it skid to a stop at Home. Sure enough the handle on the door rattled and in stepped a worried looking Charlie. "Hey guys." he said shutting the door behind him. He shrugged off his cloak, put it on top of the dozen others by the front door and strolled to his mother who he kissed on the cheek.

"Why don't you pull up a chair Charlie, Hermione is just about to tell us about what's happened tonight."

He looked around and noticed Hermione for the first time tonight. "Why don't I?" Then he noticed the silver-blonde headed kid sitting next to her. Only one family he knew had that hair color. Malfoy. He had to ponder that at another time. He sat down next to Harry, who he noted, looked like shit, but he supposed he'd get to telling the tale to him at another time.

Hermione told the story over again and Draco looked at the steam coming off of his tea.

"Tonks flooed here shortly after 1 and told us what happened," said Mr. Weasley. "They practically made us come and get you."

"I'm sorry," said Hermione.

"No dear, don't be!" said Mrs. Weasley patting her on the hand. "This is your home for as long as you need it to be." she turned to Draco who looked up from his tea since the story began. "That includes you as well Draco dear."

Soon after they were directed to bed. Fred and George apparated to the flat above their joke shop so Hermione was placed with Ginny on the second floor and Draco and Harry were in Fred and George's old room.

Exhausted the whole weasley clan, Hermione, Draco and Harry, were asleep within moments, just before the sun came up.

**A/N: Whoot, good chapter, hahaha. It's hot out, btw, 105 ouches, so glad I'm not working. Dedications too...**

**SlytherinSweetie88**

**amorreal**

**ChazIsAMommy**


	6. Training

**A****/N: Wow, One week to the day!**

Hermione, despite how late she went to bed, woke up in the late morning. It was only about 10 or so. But she was restless. She quietly slipped out of the bed that was set up for her, grabbed a pair of Ginny's old jeans, slipped them on, instead of the plaid pajama bottoms she was wearing and grabbed some flip flops, they were hers, she just happened to leave them there from some summer before.

The house was quiet, above her she could hear the sounds of Ron snoring, to her right she could hear a baby cooing, and below her she could hear the subtle sounds of breakfast being made. She slipped down the stairs and peeked into the kitchen. At the stove was Mrs. Weasley humming gently as she fixed a mountain load of eggs with ease. "Good Morning." Said Hermione softly as she walked into the kitchen.

Mrs. Weasley turned not at all startled. "Oh Hermione, Good Morning. I was hoping you'd have a bit of a lie in. Considering the night you had," She said.

"Actually I was hoping I would too, but I couldn't sleep, to restless I guess," Hermione said helping herself to a cup of coffee. She knew this kitchen just as well as any family member.

"That makes four of us," Mrs. Weasley said passing the jug of milk to Hermione.

"Four, Mrs. Weasley?" asked Hermione as she added milk to her coffee followed by sugar.

"Arthur went into work early this morning to make sure everything possible is being done to capture the death eaters," she said turning the skillet over and dumping the mess of eggs onto a already warm platter. "And Draco came down about an hour ago."

"He did?" she asked.

"Oh yes dear. Very polite young man, despite his raising," she said pursing her lips together in the memory of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy.

"Do you know where he went?" Hermione asked after looking around the kitchen to confirm that no one besides the two of them were in there.

"Oh outside, towards the paddock," She said waving in that general direction. She slid sausages into the skillet next.

"Hmm," Hermione said before grabbing a second cup of coffee and filling it up, leaving it black. "Thanks Mrs. Weasley."

"Your quiet welcome dear," Mrs. Weasley said before turning her wand on a pile of oranges who began peeling and juicing themselves.

Hermione walked outside the back door through the garden which smelled as wonderful as ever to the field behind the Weasley house. Through the open windows she could now just hear people beginning to get up. Probably Percy and Penny, with the baby and all. She smiled and walked through the field, coffee cups in hand towards the paddock. She was about twenty feet away from him when she first noticed the silver blonde of his hair lighting up the scenery. She sighed. He was laying in the middle of the field looking up at the cloudless blue sky.

He noticed her approach, the sound of her flip flops on her heels, the pace of the steps and the scent of coffee.

"Hey," she said coming to a stop next to him before gracefully sinking into a sitting position next to him.

"Hey," he said turning to look at her.

"Brought you coffee," she said before handing him the slightly chipped mug. "Trust me, it's better then any coffee I could make."

"I'll take your word for it," he said sitting up and taking a sip. It was like heaven. It surged through his veins taking away the fatigue that had settled there.

"So, you wanna tell me why you are out here, laying in the middle of a field watching the clouds pass?"

"Actually Miss Granger, in case you haven't noticed there are no clouds in the sky."

Hermione sighed. "Shut up Draco," she smiled at him and then took a sip of her coffee which was a caramel color compared to the black of Draco's. "Seriously?"

He took another sip of his. "Seriously, I just needed to think. Hermione," he started. "I just can't sit around and wait for the next attack anymore. I think," this would make her worry. "I'm going to sign up for Pre-Auror training."

"What?" said Hermione in disbelief.

"I'm going to sign up for Pre-Auror training. I've decided, finally, what I want to be, and the recent attacks have forced me to make this decision sooner then I wanted."

"Oh," she said softly while looking into the swirls in her coffee.

"Originally I was going to take a year or two off before college to explore the world, to try to find my place in it, but now, because of everything that's happened in the past couple of months, I've realized that's a very distant dream. And then again I've realized I've found where I'm supposed to be sooner then I would have ever thought. I belong on the light side, fighting against everything I've ever known since I was 3. Against his supporters and I think the best way I could do this is to become an auror." He was looking at her and from her facial expressions he knew that she was thinking about this. She knew that this job was dangerous and many people had died during the course of fighting this second war. It was a risk they had all taken.

"I think," she started slowly. "That if that's where you think you belong that you should try it."

"Hermione, are you sure?" he asked. He was almost positive that he would have an argument with her.

"It's your choice isn't it," she said firmly.

"No Hermione, it's our choice," he said, setting down his coffee and taking hers from her hands, he pulled her into a hug. "I love you and I wanted to make sure that everything was ok with you first."

She'd shed a couple of tears thinking about what could happen to him but in the end she knew that'd this was what he wanted to do. "Of course it is you doof. But then again," she said in a very serious voice " if you think that I'm just going to sit back and watch you have all the fun you've got another thing coming."

"Hermione, your supposed to be training to be a healer, not an auror," he said.

"I know, but that doesn't stop me from getting trained. There is a special program at Nauda's. A defense association. It's like an extra class but it's entirely on self-defense."

"But you already know most of it."

"I know. Under the recommendation of Dumbledore, they've invited me to be a student teacher."

"Whoa, when did this happen?" he said. He was excited for her. He knew that this was a big step up for her.

"Yesterday afternoon. You dropped me off at the Manor and there was an owl waiting for me."

"Kind of like those owls heading towards the Burrow?" said Draco pointing up.

Hermione looked confused. There were 4 owls. She quickly did the math and remembered the date. "Those are our N.E.W.T. scores!" she said quickly, standing up. She dumped out the rest of her coffee and took off at a run towards the house.

"Some things never change," said Draco, emptying his cup by taking a huge gulp and followed her at a jog.

**A/N: I don't know if I like this chapter or not. I love the ending though. Now I've got to go do the math on the N.E.W.T. and stuff for 4 people, should be fun...not. Dedications too...**

**Lovemealways**

**cutie11211**

**SlytherinSweetie88**

**dragonqween27**

**Elena Miscellanyy**


	7. NEWT's

**A/N: He He, chapter 7**

Hermione raced into the burrow and sitting there on the table in all their glory were 4 very thick envelopes. "Oh my god!" she said softly.

"Bloody Hell!" That came from Ron who had just come down the stairs and he got a "_Ronald!"_ from his mother but it didn't seem to faze him for the first time in his life. He saw the envelopes too and recognized the green handwriting.

"Ron, move!" came a bossy voice from behind him. Ginny came down with Harry who was on crutches but looking better after just a few hours of sleep.

"Ron, what, see a muggle or something?" asked Harry, smiling, before following Ron's gaze. "Oh!" came his unenthusiastic and depressed response to the letters. They all stared at them. That was, they all stared except Ginny who looked back from the letters to Harry, Ron and Hermione in turn. "Ok," she said and walked forward. "It's just a bit of mail." she grabbed a glass of orange juice.

As she did a small scuffle came from the backdoor breaking the trance. Draco came walking in and took one look at the letters before screwing up his face a bit and sighing, "Oh bugger."

Hermione reached back and took his hand and at once they all walked slowly, very slowly, towards the table. Harry took the seat at the end of the table, Ron next to him, Draco across from him and Hermione next to Draco. Harry took the envelopes and handed them to their respective person.

Hermione looked at hers for a moment. It had to be correct.

_Miss H. Granger  
The Burrow  
Ottery St. Catchpole_

She looked up to meet Harry and Ron's eyes. They all turned them over and opened it while gazing at the familiar Hogwarts crest. Hermione brought out the papers. It was silent. Mrs. Weasley had stopped bustling around and putting food on the table to look over Ron's shoulder.

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. Of Wizards)

Dear Miss Granger,

We are pleased to congratulate you on your completion of your academics at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Inclosed are your scores for your Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests (N.E.W.T.'s)  
Good luck on whatever you choose to do in life.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagal  
_ Deputy Headmistress_

Hermione moved the parchment aside and looked at the next page

NASTILY EXHAUSTING WIZARDING TEST Results

**_ Pass Grades_****_ Fail Grades_**

OUTSTANDING (O) POOR (P)

EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS (E) DREADFUL (D)

ACCEPTABLE (A) TROLL (T)

_**Hermione Jane Granger has achieved:**_

Ancient Runes O

Arithmancy O

Astronomy O

Charms O

Defense Against the Dark Arts O

Herbology O

History of Magic O

Potions O

Transfiguration O

Hermione breathed a breath of relief. She felt a presence over her shoulder. "How in the world did you score that?" said Draco looking unbelievably at her paper he took it and in the process dropped it.

"Score what?" asked Ron setting down his paper as well and moving, although reluctantly behind Draco with Harry behind him

Hermione with everyone including an interested looking Mrs. Weasley looking at her outstanding N.E.W.T. scores took the time to look at all the others. She picked up Draco's an glanced it over.

He got O's in Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions. E's in Transfiguration, Herbology, Astronomy, Arithmancy and Muggle Studies (She did a double take on this. Who knew he took muggle studies? She certainly didn't!) And A's in everything else except History of Magic which he got a P.

Harry did well as well getting mostly O's and E's with an A in Potions and a D in History of Magic.

Ron gulped as Hermione flipped to his scores attracting the attention of his mother. For him he wasn't as lucky. He scored one O and that was in Defense Against the Dark arts, E's in mostly everything else, an A in Astronomy and Herbology, a P in Potions and a D in History of Magic.

"Blimey, what's with guys and their ultimate hatred of History of Magic?" asked Hermione softly.

"Hermione," began Ron sitting back, glad his mother wasn't hitting him. In fact she was doing quiet the opposite. She had hugged him before walking to finish the breakfast, sniffling. "You are probably the only Witch in this world that could listen to Binns drone on and on about Urglic the Smelly or Twitlee the Dumb and not only manage to stay awake but to take notes!"

"Ronald, It's Ugalic the Not-So-Smelly and Twiddle the Dull, get it right!" she exclaimed, understanding their point.

"Jeez, alright. Don't get your knickers in a twist."

Harry laughed a bit, "We all know that wouldn't be a good thing." He sat back and took a piece of toast.

As Draco sat back as well, he stared at the "Golden Trio," as they were so named by he himself, and started to envy them. They were obviously the best of friends, knowing how to read each other as easily as reading a book, knowing their pasts, knowing for certain that they'd be friends all their lives. He supposed that there were certain things and events that brought people together and he supposed all their adventures at Hogwarts would have been those things and events.

A half an hour later, another owl came fluttering through the window leaving another envelope on the table. At this point everyone was up and was at the table except Mr. Weasley and Percy who were at work. Mrs. Weasley picked up and looked towards Ginny who looked back. "What!"

"For you, Hogwarts letter."

"Great," she said unenthusiastically. "I'm the only one here who gets the stupid thing anyway." she slowly ripped it opened before frowning at the contents.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione a minute later.

Ginny closed her letter and looked at them, but mostly at Hermione, Ron and especially Harry. "I don't want to go back."

Hermione leaned over and gave her best friend a hug. "Don't worry Ginny, we'll send you lots of owls."

"That's right," said Ron. " A ridiculous amount of owls."

"So many owls," put in Harry waving his hands in the air. "That they'll owl US and tell us to stop writing so many owls."

Ginny laughed and that seemed to put a smile back on her face. They finished their breakfast.

While Penny went pack upstairs to put Gideon down for his nap, Mrs. Weasley went about the task of removing Harry's cast. She had of course been given specific instructions on how to remove it from the healers at St. Mungo's. it popped off and Harry looked down. Almost as good as new. It had a small, very small, scar where the bone had popped out but everything else looked ok. He bent his knee, twisted his ankle and wiggled his toes and he was declared perfectly fine by Mrs. Weasley (who was following the instruction sheet, mind you.)

"So," started Charlie. "Who's up for a game of Quidditch? Harry? Ron? Ginny?"

Harry nodded, "But what about Hermione or Mal...Draco." He said.

Charlie looked at Hermione. "You play Quidditch?"

"Does she ever!" shouted Ron. "You should have seen her. Chaser for Gryffindor! Absolutely amazing. It was because of her and Harry that we won the Quidditch cup!"

"Did we hear something about Quidditch?" asked the twins as they walked through the front door. "The Ministry's gone and shut down Diagon Alley for the day. Still searching for bloody death eaters." said Fred.

"Well Gred, it wouldn't matter, as you see, we didn't have any customers, too scared to come out of their homes to do shopping, thanks to this morning's Daily Prophet." He said slamming his copy down on the table.

Hermione, who hadn't read the paper because her's were still being delivered to the Manor and were already pre-paid, snatched it up. Mr. Weasley, it seemed took the Burrow's copy of it to work.

_DEATH EATERS STILL ON THE LOOSE_

_Attacks on Harry Potter and his sidekick Hermione Granger strike terror into the hearts of Wizards and Witches alike_

Story by Rita Skeeter

_When our famous Boy-Who-Lived brought down the guy who just wouldn't die for the last time just two months ago we all thought our lives would be good again. We could go to Diagon Alley and shop freely or to Hogsmead for the best butterbeer without having to worry about our safety and the safety of our loved ones. That is apparently not so anymore._

_Yesterday while at Quidditch practice (He was just signed to his favorite Quidditch team, The Chudley Cannons) Harry Potter was attacked and so was his team, luckily for them no one was seriously injured, that is, except Harry. At this point there is no further information about the attack. We do know that Harry was taken to St. Mungo's and his ward was put under Ministry protection._

_We all know that he also had a lot of help through the years and one person who was always willing to lend a hand was close friend Hermione Granger. We all know that she was present at the final battle holding back death eaters as he battled you-know-who. Last night, while asleep at the home she shares with her boyfriend, who will remain nameless, death eaters attacked the home, both her and her boyfriend escaped from the home after an apparent battle_.

_Now we all have to wonder, if the boy-who-lived and his sidekick aren't safe who is?_-R.S.

Beside the article, which she read aloud, was a picture. It was of Harry, Ron and Hermione on one of their final days at Hogwarts. _How did they get a copy of that?_ Hermione was laughing and was in the center and Harry and Ron had their arms around her shoulders. The caption below read, _Harry Potter (left), Hermione Granger (Center) and friend Ronald Weasley (right) enjoy their final days at Hogwarts school._

"Well, that was interesting." said Hermione putting down the paper. "They just gave away our location. Stupid woman," she shook her head. "I supposed we'll deal with that when it happens. Quidditch anyone?" she asked.

They all ran to get their broomsticks.

**A/N: Whoo, so not very interesting, but was it fun to write! Dedications too...**

**dragonqween**

**Elena Miscellanyy**

**lovemealways**

**SlytherinSweetie88**


	8. The Letter

**A/N: Ahh the relative calm after a bout of writers block...**

Hermione, Draco and Harry stayed at the Burrow for about a week. They Auror's office had a hard time finding a place for them but finally they found a well-protected area.

Tonks first came and took Harry to his apartment in a wizarding complex off of Diagon Alley. Then she took Hermione and Draco to a small, but gorgeous, house in Hogsmeade.

Draco and Hermione stared at it for several long minutes before Draco said the only thing he could. "It's tiny," Hermione took the opportunity to smack him on the back of his head, "Ow! What was that for!" he asked rubbing the back of his head.

"Draco, of course it's tiny, compared to that mansion of a house you call your home!" she said before walking forward with the key in her hand. Tonks stood back and let them go into their home.

Hermione looked around. They first found themselves in the living room which had a huge fireplace. The dining room was up one step and through there to the side was a kitchen. There were two sets of stairs in the house. A winding metal stair case from the kitchen that lead to the second floor and a hardwood set that you would use if you walked in through the front door. They went up the metal stairs and found themselves on the second landing. There were 3 rooms and 2 ½ bathrooms. Two of the rooms were decent sized and the third was a bit smaller. Each of the big rooms had a full bathroom attached and there was a smaller bathroom in the hall that housed just a shower instead of a tub.

Hermione got a shock when she found a set of stairs that lead to the attic. It had been converted into a loft space. There was a huge window on one side that let them look over the town (Well the town they could see from that point, which was mostly everything) and from that point they could see Hogwarts sitting on the hill. There were pillows and soft squishy mattresses on the floor so they could look out. There was a half finished bath behind them and a lot of room for storage. The whole house was fully furnished.

Hermione smiled and walked back downstairs to the foyer where Tonks was waiting, "So?" she asked them

"It's wonderful!" said Hermione at the same time Draco was like, " It's tiny!"

Tonks just looked at Draco, "Well then." she said looking towards Hermione.

"I would love to live here," she said.

At this Draco caved in, "And I'm going anywhere where Hermione is."

"Aw, how sweet." said Tonks as she lead them out of the house, locked the door, and walked with them down to the path where the Anti-Apparation wards stopped and they apparated back to the Burrow where they would spend one final night before going over to the Manor to get their clothes and other personal belongings.

Hermione walked through the door first and found Ginny on the living room floor mending her spell book from last year with spell-o-tape. Ginny looked up, "So, how's the house?" she asked

"In Draco's words, Tiny," said Hermione with a laugh.

"That's something he'd say."said Ginny with a chuckle, " and what would Hermione say about the house?"

Hermione smiled and took a seat on the couch, "It's wonderful!"

"That's good," said Ginny sitting up, "Oh, by the way, you've got a letter."

"Oh, really?" asked Hermione looking around.

"It's on the kitchen table."

"Accio letter," said Hermione pointing her wand in the direction of the kitchen. She took a look at the cover and nearly fainted when she saw the St. Mungo's emblem on the cover. "I know what this is!"

"What?" asked Ginny.

"I cant' believe this! I just went in 2 weeks ago!" she said and she opened the letter and read quickly, "I've got to tell Draco."

"He just left with Harry and Ron to Diagon alley for supplies for Mum," said Ginny sitting up before grabbing the letter, "Oh my god, this is huge!"

---

Hermione forgot about the letter though when Draco came home. He was laughing merrily with Harry and Ron. This was something new and it made her very happy to realize that even if it was just for a few moments they forgot their differences and decided to be friends.

"And then," said Draco setting his bags on the table, " he was like, that's not the giant squid, that's my sister!"

Harry laughed and Ron was nearly crying with mirth. Hermione walked over to them and helped them unpack things, "Sounds like you guys have had fun today."

"Did we ever," said Harry. He took out the new cooking book for Mrs. Weasley that he purchased from Lindsay using her Family and Friend discount at Flourish and Blotts.

Hermione pulled out a large sack of floo power. She went over to the fireplace and emptied it into the large flower pot.

Mrs. Weasley came downstairs from putting clean clothes into their bedrooms. "Oh dears, you didn't need to bother."

"It's no problem, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione as she took a load of food in her arms and put it in the cabinets.

Draco took some of the new seedlings and took them out to the garden where they rested on a shelf. It was in no time that everyone had put everything away and were all sitting at the scrubbed wooden table drinking pumpkin juice. Hermione decided that she would tell Draco before letting everyone else in on their big news.

Little did she know that her chance would come that night after dinner.

Mrs. Weasley provided a huge feast. Steak, potatoes, and various other vegetables ending with a delicious treacle tart. They ate it all in the garden, seeing as the weasley family had grown considerably. After dinner and everyone had helped clean up they all decided to play some music and have some fun. Fred and George burst out their fireworks and started filling the sky with amazing colors

Hermione led Draco over to her favorite tree in the Weasley garden and sat down. He was leaning against the base of the tree with his arms wrapped around her waist resting on her stomach. For the time being she savored the moment. Here she was in paradise being held by the person she loved. Someone who would support her no matter how big her dreams, who would go any lengths to protect her, who would love her unconditionally. Feeling overwhelmed by the amount of love she was feeling she snuggled up closer to him and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

Draco looked down on Hermione and smiled. He reached up and wiped some hair off of her face and gave her a small kiss on her head.

They sat like this for several minutes.

"Draco?" asked Hermione softly.

"What, love?" he asked.

"I've got something to tell you."

He waited a moment. "Well go on."

"I'm not going to Nuada's."

Draco was startled,"What? Why!"

"I got a letter from St. Mungo's today."

Draco's heart almost stopped. He knew what was happening. "Are you serious?"

"Absolutely!"

"Wow!" He bent his head and kissed her. She smiled and laid back

**A/N: What's so amazing? You'll have to wait until the next chapter. I know it's short and contains a lot of Fluff but that's how I'm feeling right now. Dedications too...**

**Elena Miscellanyy**

**SlytherinSweetie88**

**dragonqween27**

**lovemealways**


	9. Moving In

**A/N: Haha, I'm sorry everyone. I had to leave that last chapter with a cliff-hanger... It's like a trademark, anyway. This chapter should make up for it... maybe.  
**

Sighing, Hermione sat at the new mahogany desk in her new room in the new house that she and her boyfriend shared. She pulled out a quill, a roll of parchment and some scarlet ink and began to write.

_Dear Mum and Daddy,_

_ I hope everything is well. I can't begin to tell you how much I miss you. I know you told me that it was my choice to live in the wizarding world but that doesn't mean I don't miss certain parts of the muggle one (Muggle means non-wizarding people) like Microwaves, I have to make everything I want to eat unless we go to a restaurant, which really isn't that bad. Also I miss the part about being around you guys so very often. I know now that I'm almost 18 I would be moving out but I haven't had the chance to spend these last two months with you guys, also I've been away at Hogwarts for most of the last 7 and I guess what I'm trying to say is that I love you guys and I'm really thanking you from the bottom of heart for all the support you've given me. _

_I'm sure you've heard from the Ministry of Magic about what had happened last week, they told me that they would be in touch with you guys but I should send my own letter anyway (Which, I may add, that I would have done without them being told to, so don't you go off thinking "Dear, Mione's gone and forgotten about me again!" because I didn't) I know you guys must be scared for me, but you've really got no reason to worry. _

_You see Draco and I have been re-located from his Manor ( it's really a mansion, but he was looking over my shoulder as I wrote that) in Wiltshire, that's in south-west England. I won't tell you where until I see you incase this letter gets intercepted although I have full faith in that owl of Draco's, Feryl, as he hasn't failed on a delivery yet._

_We are perfectly fine. We kicked those bad people in their behinds so fast and hard they didn't know what hit them until they were locked up in Azkaban (The wizarding prison) Could I come see you soon? Write back with your answer._

_ Love From,_

_ Hermione_

_P.S. Mum, could you send me more of your raspberry cookies? Draco keeps stealing mine!_

"I do not!" said Draco indigently while munching on a cookie.

"Draco," She said looking at the cookie in his hands.

Draco looked down, "This one's mine, get your own!" He said protecting it in the crook of his arm.

She stood up, "I can't! You ate mine!" She laughed.

"So, I didn't steal it. I took it without your permission with absolutely no intent to return it."

"That's stealing!"

"You want it back?" He asked smugly.

"No, Thanks." she said before smiling. She leaned back over the desk, rolled up the parchment and stuck it into a heavy parchment envelope which she addressed to her parents in the same scarlet ink.

She then led the way back downstairs to the back porch where Feryl was sleeping on his perch. Hermione gently poked him awake. "You ready for a delivery?" she asked the sleepy owl in a gentle voice.

The owl hooted and allowed Hermione to tie the letter to his leg. She wiggled her shoulder and the owl flew up to it. Hermione then led the way through the house and out the front door where she took the bird off of her shoulder and let him fly away.

The rest of the evening was spent up unpacking all their personal belongings that they had retrieved from the Manor earlier in the day with the help of, what it seemed like half the aurors in the ministry of magic.

A team of Aurors went into the building first and cleared it but told everyone to be on their alert. Draco and Hermione had their wands in hand as they then led their aurors up the staircases to their respective bedrooms.

Tonks looked smug at this but some just looked confused. _They didn't share a room? _The door to Hermione's balcony was smashed into bits where first her and Draco ran through it and then it was ripped open again by the Death Eaters. She whipped out her suitcase walked to the armoire and started pulling the clothes off of hangers. She folded them quickly in the suitcase using a neat little charm she'd found in a spell book. She then began to stuff the rest of the space in the suitcase full of knickknacks of hers. She then piled every other bit of personal stuff into her Hogwarts trunk. She took a final look around her room and sighed. She turned and walked out into the hall where Draco was dragging out three large trunks and a suitcase.

They bewitched the bags to float behind them and they all walked back down to the fireplace. Tonks shot a spell at the logs in there and a roaring fire was suddenly there. They took a handful of Floo power each and with each of the Aurors holding a trunk they flooed to the three broomsticks, seeing as the new house wasn't connected to the Floo Network yet.

Hermione sighed as she hung up the last bit of her clothes in the closet in her new room. Earlier in the day she spent it spelling the walls colors. She finally settled on a deep red with a thin coat of raspberry which gave it a sort of dark scarlet look, the same look of Gryffindor Quidditch robes when they were wet.

Her trunk was empty except for a few odds and ends so she placed that at the foot of her bed. She began to stack various books along the shelves in her room. Her Standard Book of Spells were all in order from grade one to grade seven, then there were her Defense Against the Dark Arts books, her Transfiguration books, then the other books in order of her favorite class to least favorite (The only book missing was _Unfogging the Future_ by Cassandra Vablatsky.) She was just putting up her copy of _Year with the Yeti_ by Gilderoy Lockhart when she found her letter from St. Mungo's again. She picked it up and laid back across her bed

_Dear Miss Hermione Granger,_

_ We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted into the Healer-in-training program. Your application was reviewed at your request and it was decided that you would be a worthy candidate to undertake this enormous responsibility. Enclosed are the required materials for your training. Training begins on September 1st. We expect your owl no later then July 31st._

_Yours Sincerely,_

_Frederick Whipple_

_Dean of Admission_

Hermione had sent the owl out that morning from the post office.

"Still reading that?" Draco said from the doorway.

"I can't get over it, it's so exciting." she said sitting up. He came in the door and sat down at the end of her bed. " Hardly anyone is accepted right from school. They usually have to wait a couple years, that's why I was going to Nuada's. It would make my application seem more appealing if I had done extra work on it. I'm amazed. Do you know who else got in!" she asked suddenly.

"Who?" Draco asked curious

"Neville Longbottom!"

"What?" Draco asked, his jaw dropped.

"Apparently he's been doing better this year and he submitted his application and they accepted him. He say's he's going to try to find a cure for his parents."

"Wow, miracles do happen."

Hermione smacked him. "Be nice!"

"I am nice, and because I'm so nice, I'm treating you to dinner at the three broomsticks."

"Oh, now I'm excited."

**A/N: I know, short, but you do learn what all the excitement was about! So, what do you think? No...Hermione's not pregnant...yet. Oh and you pronounce the name of Draco's owl Fair-all or Feral. Dedications too...**

**Dragonqween27**

**lovemealways**

**Elena Miscellanyy**

**ChazIsAMommy**

**SlytherinSweetie88**


	10. One Year

**A/N: Hey Guys, sry for the long wait. This chapter was supposed to go up before I left for Ocean City last Sunday...but it didn't happen. I hope you like...**

To Hermione it seemed like the months had flew by. Her days were filled with hour upon hour at St. Mungo's training to be a healer. On Halloween they had a ton of people due to make-up charms gone wrong and they had kept Hermione there more then 24 hours. There were also many days in which she didn't get home until after dinner to find it cold on the stove and Draco asleep. She didn't want to think about it but she realized that it was putting a strain on their relationship. She planned to use the holidays to make it up to him even though they would be spending Christmas eve with at the burrow and then they would go to Hermione's parents for Christmas day.

On December 7th, their self-proclaimed anniversary of when they officially got together, not just flirting, she woke up early, fully intending on surprising Draco. She didn't go in until the evening shift which gave her a full 12 hours to spend to with him.

Feeling mischievous she went to her dresser and went into her underwear drawer and pulled out her sexiest and laciest panties and slipped them on. She then proceeded to dress in some sweat pants and a tank-top that was low cut. Pulling her hair up into a ponytail she slipped down the hallway and down the stairs to the kitchen.

This was her normal routine (except the whole dressing up part) She was usually up and gone before Draco even stirred She quickly made some coffee and poured it into to mugs. She added cream and sugar to hers and left Draco's black like he liked it.

She grabbed his present with two of her fingers and went back up the steps.

She stopped at the door before her room and silently slid it open. He'd decorated his room in a dark green and laying sprawled in the large bed was a very sexy man she liked to call her boyfriend. She crossed the hardwood floor to him quickly and put his present and their coffee down on the bedside table.

He smelt the coffee and rolled over. "Morning."

"Good Morning," she said hopping over to lay next to him.

"What time is it?" he asked sleepily.

"Oh, only about 6:30. But I think the better question is what day is it?"

He rolled over. "I know what today is," he said wrapping his arm around her waist. She looked gorgeous in his opinion. She'd just woken up so her hair was tousled, there was no make-up on her face, and she was clad in her baggy pajama's and he'd thought he'd never seen anyone look more beautiful. "It's our one year anniversary."

"Yup," she said happily before leaning forward to kiss him. Needless to say that the innocent kissing turned into something else that wasn't too innocent.

Hermione, hours later, sat up in bed, not bothering to pull the sheets up with her, "Where's my present?" she asked.

"Impatient?" Draco asked sitting up as well.

She scowled at him, "If you must know, yes!"

"Fine, fine," he said before rolling over to his bedside cabinet. He reached inside and pulled out his present to her. It was wrapped in a shiny silver paper, "I love you, Hermione."

She smiled at him, "You too, Draco." she said softly while ripping the paper off. She turned it over and smiled. It was a brand new book on healing potions.

"I got you a new cauldron as well, your school cauldron's bottom was beginning to rust out, and some ingredients. They're in the loft."

"Ooh this is great, now I can try out some new stuff at work!" she said happily running her fingers over the satiny cover.

Draco looked at her. She was still the bookworm everyone said she was, but now she was his bookworm and he fully intended on keeping her his for a long time, "So, where's mine?"

She smiled and put the book aside. She leaned across him to the bedside table and picked hers up. It was laying right next to their cold cups of coffee, "Here you dolt."

He ripped off the wrapper and saw a very old and probably very boring book called _Aurors who gained power_. "Wow," he grimaced, "Thanks?"

"Open it up." said Hermione.

He flipped open to the first page and there was a picture of Hermione looking over her shoulder, "You great prat, you really would think that I would get you something so incredibly boring?" said the picture smiling back at him. She blew him a kiss and the picture went back to moving. Hermione's head swishing back and forth.

The book glowed and he flipped back to the front cover. It was now a brilliant mahogany color with the words. At the bottom it said "To Draco, with much love and sloppy kisses from Hermione." in gold lettering.

He flipped it open again and the pages were of creamy parchment and each one held a different picture of them. One was of Draco and Hermione throwing snowballs at each other, Harry took that one. One was of them sitting cuddling in front of the fire, Ginny took that one. One was of him making dinner for the first time. He grinned sheepishly as he pulled the roast out of the oven, burnt. He smiled. A couple more were in there, one of them in front of the house, standing in the garden at the burrow, Hermione in her green healer robes, Draco looking serious at his desk with a large book open in front of him, then there was nothing. He flipped the next couple of pages. "What's supposed to go here?"

"We've still got that to fill in," she said before snuggling up to him.

They decided to take a walk around Hogsmeade. They stopped in at the new branch of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Due to open at the start of the next school year. The opened the door and inside they found Bill, Charlie and Fred getting the shop ready. The walls were already painted a shocking orange and they were in the process of staining the shelves. "Hey guys."

Charlie looked up, "Hey Mione, Malfoy." he said with a nod before bending over the bottom shelf again.

"Fred, where's George?" It was very uncommon to see one twin without the other.

"In Diagon Alley." said Fred setting down a very heavy looking box, "We've still got to run that branch. It's harder then it looks trying to set up a shop while managing another," he turned to his oldest brother, "Have you seen the stack of applications?"

"Who's running this branch when you all get is up?" Hermione asked sitting onto the counter. Draco was helping Charlie finish staining.

"We've decided that it wouldn't be right for this to be run by anyone other then a Weasley," said Charlie, " I'm going to run it for a couple of months under Fred and George's supervision."

"Then what's the applications for?" asked Draco putting his brush down.

"A shop assistant." said Fred

After a few more minutes Fred straightened up from crouching unpacking a box. "Guys, we should go. The game's about to start."

"Quidditch?" asked Draco.

"Yeah, Gryffindor verses Ravenclaw."

"Excellent. I want to see what type of team Kellen's put up this year," said Hermione, eagerly grabbing Draco's hand and leading him towards the giant castle at the end of Hogsmeade.

**A/N: Alrighty folks, that's about it for this chapter. The next one should be better... I think. Right now I don't really know because, well, I haven't typed it. Kudos...**

**ChazIsAMommy**

**SlytherinSweetie88**

**dragonqween27**

**lovemealways**

**Elena Miscellanyy**


	11. All Business

**A/N: Summer vacation is almost over. Only a week and a half left...darn.**

Hermione's words were whipped away by the wind as she cheered. She was glad she wore her old Hogwart's scarf today even if it was just to ward off the wind. "Come on! Go Ginny!" she shouted as Ginny sped past with the Quaffle tucked neatly under her arm. Kellen was hovering near by with his beaters club ready.

She looked around and only recognized some of the team. The other chaser she knew to be Madison Bell, Katie Bell's younger sister. The other players she knew by sight but couldn't quiet place a name to their faces.

Draco was sitting next to her with his hands buried into his hair. "I'm going to hell. I'm going to burn forever in fiery pits."

Hermione heard his mumbling and turned to look at him. He was ducked down behind the stands. They were in one where half of it was towns people and the other half was seventh year Gryffindor's. "What?" she asked after she stopped cheering for Ginny as she made a spectacular goal. They were still losing though. She couldn't figure out how Ravenclaw got to be so good.

"What? You ask me what!" he said slightly hysterical, "I'm sitting in the stands at a Quidditch match, with the Gryffindor's!" Hermione just looked at him, "I'm a SLYTHERIN!"

"Oh stop," Hermione said laughing, "We're out of school now. Those things don't matter. Remember your seriously involved with a Gryffindor."

He stood up. "Wanna go stand with the Slytherin's?" he asked sweetly.

"Heck no I don't! They look like they want to beat me up! I think they're still sore from losing the cup last year." she said as a red blur sped past her. It was the seeker speeding towards the opposite end of the pitch. "Go Gryffindor!" She shouted.

The game turned out to be almost a tie 160 to 150. Hermione cheered and dragged Draco down to the field to see the new team.

She ran over to Kellen and tapped him on his shoulder. She was surprised to see that he had grown up a lot during the past summer. He was much taller, hair was darker and he had facial hair. "Hey."

"Hermione!" he said and pulled her into a hug. "What are you doing here?" he asked excitedly. He recognized Draco and offered his hand which Draco shook quickly before going back to stand with his hands in his pockets.

"I live in Hogsmeade and I just had to come up and see the game." she said pulling her hat over her ears.

"Reall..."Kellen started but was interrupted by a high pitched squeal.

"Mione!" shouted Ginny running towards her. She leapt into her arms. "Hey, how are you?"

"I'm good." she turned back to Kellen with Ginny standing next to her saying 'hi' to Draco. "Anyway, yes, I live just outside the main street."

"That's amazing. It's hard to get space in Hogsmeade. Me mum's been trying for years."

Hermione blushed. "Well I guess I just got lucky then." remembering that the house had been given to them by the Ministry of Magic.

"Yeah Maybe, What did..." he was interrupted by another squeal from Ginny. This one wasn't as loud considering she was running away from them. They turned and watched her run into Harry's arms. He picked her up and spun her around a couple of times before they kissed deeply.

Hermione watched Melanie Bell and a couple of her friends watch them, slack-jawed. She giggled and looked back at Kellen who just shrugged. He knew about it of course. "As I was saying, what are you doing this year for your education."

"Oh," she smiled. "I got accepted into St. Mungo's Healer-in-Training program..."

They continued talking for a few minutes as Draco looked around the field. He spotted his sour looking classmates He recognized a great deal of them and was sure they recognized him as well. It seemed as if they didn't like him so much anymore. They were looking back and forth between himself and Hermione who was still talking to Kellen. He smiled at them and made it a point to wrap his arm loosely around her waist as she stopped talking and they were walking over to Harry and Ginny who were still locked in an embrace (Although they had thankfully stopped with the lip-lock)

After quick hello's and hugs Harry announced that he had to get back to practice and that he'd left just to watch the game. Ginny pouted and Hermione and Draco left to give them time for a private farewell.

Draco wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She smiled and wrapped her arm around his waist. He bent his head and kissed hers. She smiled to herself and hardly dared to believe that it had been a year since they'd started going out.

It seemed like the next few hours flew by. They had an early dinner in the Three Broomsticks, courtesy of Madame Rosemerta and went back to the house for dessert.

After they finished their cake they went out into the living room where they cuddled on the couch for a long time just watching the logs in the fireplace burn. Hermione was just starting to feel relaxed when she looked at the clock and noticed that she was due at St. Mungo's in a half an hour. The day had just flown by. She sat up slowly not wanting to disturb Draco who had fallen asleep just moments previous.

She moved his arm off of her waist, stood up, and then put his hand back on the couch where she was laying previously. Taking one last look at him she silently moved upstairs to shower and change.

When Hermione came back down wearing a form fitting white t-shirt and jeans she looked towards the couch and saw he wasn't there. She performed a drying spell on her hair and pulled it back off of her face in a ponytail. She walked to the closet and pulled out a jacket, her scarf, a pair of gloves and her hospital sneakers.

Hermione threw all that over her shoulder and sat down on the step where she put on the shoes and laced them up. She then pulled on the jacket and threw the scarf on around her neck, before she went out the door she went to find Draco. He was standing in the kitchen pouring himself a glass of milk. "Hey, I'm heading out," Hermione said walking in.

He set the milk jug down and walked over to her. "Darn," was all he said before pulling her into a hug. He took in her scent and realized it was now cherries and almonds. It smelt nice. He pulled back a little and looked down at her. His cool grey eyes met her warm chocolate ones. He lowered his lips to hers softly then pulled back again and brushed some hair out of her face. "I love you."

She smiled warmly at him, " I love you too," she said gently. She stood on her tip-toes and kissed him again. "I've got to go."

"Okay," he kissed her forehead and sent her on her way. He watched as she pulled on her gloves, grabbed her purse and her keys, blew him a kiss good-bye and walked out the front door.

Hermione felt like her life was magical and she thought it couldn't get better. She apperated to St. Mungo's and there the feeling vanished. She was all business now.

**A/N: Awww the FLUFF! Well... I liked it... anyway if you love me please check out my newest original fiction on my name is Mysticlight2007, the url is in my author profile. I swear they are short but good. I want some feedback, and you just don't get it as much as you get on here. They are called When He Was Drinking, that's the funny one, and before you ask, yes it's an actual event. I'm played by the character Angie and one of my friends is Olivia. Also check out The Places My Path Had Taken Me. That's my more serious one. I was feeling kinda Angsty that night so... yep. Dedications too**

**SlytherinSweetie88**

**dragonqween27**

**lovemealways**


	12. Attack

**A/N: Yayness, another chapter.**

Hermione Granger was by far the smartest witch in her class and was now proving herself once again at St. Mungo's. She'd tended to 16 patients within the first hour of her shift, one of which had gotten a quill stuck up his nose. It always seemed though that the end of her shift was the worst part. It would drag on and on and she would see patient after patient wanting nothing else, except to help with their current ailment, to go home and be with Draco again. For the moment she was able to sneak away to the Meal Hall to grab a bite.

She had pushed open the door and walked to the line. They weren't serving really anything seeing as Breakfast was still an hour away, but Hermione knew that she wouldn't be able to get away in an hour so she had to make due with what she had. She grabbed a muffin left over from the dinner the night before, some Jell-o, and a sandwich, put it on a tray and walked to a table and sat down. Instead of picking up her fork she pushed the tray away and put her head down on the table. She couldn't remember being this tired in a long time. But she knew there were several factors that lead to this fatigue. Being up with Draco all day when she should have been sleeping, the excitement of a good Quidditch game and now she had been running around all night tending to the patients that had either been doing something stupid, been attacked, or had been in a duel.

She picked up her head just as someone sat across from her. She broke into a small smile when she recognized the person across from her. "Neville Longbottom." she said.

"That's me." he said with a grin. He picked up his sandwich and took a bite. "How are you, Hermione?" he asked mumbling around his sandwich.

Hermione laughed. "I'm exhausted."

"I bet," he took a sip of his pumpkin juice before putting a box of it on to Hermione's tray. She had forgotten to get some.

"Thank you." she punched the straw through the hole at the top of the box and took a long sip of the juice. She felt immediately better.

"Your welcome. Listen," he began leaning towards her a little. "I heard about what happened over the summer."

"You did." said Hermione wincing. "It's really nothing. Just some death eaters out for my blood."

"Hermione, what did you do to them?" he asked.

"Nothing really, but you see I'm dat..." She started but was broken off when her name was called over the intercom

"Granger, Healer Granger please report to medical center B. Granger please report to medical center B."

"Aww hell," she swore to herself softly, she hadn't even started on her food. She looked at Neville. "I'll talk to you later."

"I'll save your food. It will be in your quarters." He said whipping out his wand to put a warming spell on them before shrinking it to fit in his pocket.

"Thank you, Neville!" she said running out of the door. Her sneakers squeaking.

She ran quickly to the stairs and jumped them three at a time. She worked her way through the crowd by saying "Excuse me," " Pardon me," and a couple "Move!"'s She was already working her wand out of it's hostler on her left thigh. She saw her mentor motioning to her. She scrambled over to her.

Her mentor was a nice lady in her early sixties by the name of Ellen Vablatsky. She was head of the emergency section of the hospital but had enjoyed taking Hermione through the procedures of the entire hospital. The only wing Hermione hadn't worked on yet was the Maternity section, and for that she was eternally grateful although she knew it would be coming up soon. "We've got a male, around 25 years of age, attacked by death eaters, unconscious, loss of blood. What do we do?" she asked Hermione as soon as she showed up.

Hermione knew this was a test. "Move him to a clean environment, re-evaluate the situation, monitor his airway, his breathing and his circulation, ABC's, stabilize and find his blood type, send for blood replenishing potion until blood is ready for transfusion if necessary, fill out a report then contact his family." she said quickly.

"Excellent." said Ellen, "He's your patient. He will be here in less then a minute. I've got one coming in, in about 10 seconds, that is for sure going to need intensive care and you're the only other healer in this place that I know I can trust. Good Luck." she said as her patient came through the door being levitated on a backboard between 4 medi-wizards. Ellen immediately took charge leaving a bewildered Hermione behind.

Hermione hitched up the waistline of her green hospital scrubs and tightened the belt on her lime-green healers robes and waited for the patient to come through the door. This was her first patient to herself. She was commanding her team. Behind her two nurses assembled waiting for the Medi-Wizards to come through the door. Hermione took a deep breath and when she opened her eyes again the doors had swung open and 2 medi-wizards were levitating a deeply wounded person in between them. The looked around for direction and Hermione snapped into action. "Emergency Room three!" she then walked along side the Med-W. As she turned to take a look at the wizard she noticed the hair on the injured person. It was fiery red. There was only one family she knew who had the fiery red hair. She moved a little further forward and as they rounded the corner into the room she stopped for a split second shocked. Being levitated on the bed was one of her best friends brothers, 26 year old Charlie Weasley.

---

The next couple of hours for Hermione were blurred. She saw patient after patient. They were mostly Auror's who had apparently had a battle with some death eaters at the Ministry of Magic who were trying to access their office for information on the location of several people under auror protection. She had a nasty feeling that they were looking for herself and Draco. The thought that they didn't get in didn't comfort her at all.

She went down the hall and laid another clip board in her box at the nurses station to fill out. There was a total of about 12 right now that she had to fill out and she was exhausted. She stopped outside her second to last room and picked up that clip board. She smiled. She knew this person and she knew him very well. She knocked on the door before entering. "Ronald Weasley, can't you keep yourself in one piece?" she asked walking in.

Ron was laying on one of the beds in the four bed room. He was dressed in Jeans, a t-shirt and a black robe that was ripped. His arm was at an awkward angle and he was bleeding slightly from the ankle. Upon hearing her voice he looked to her and smiled. "You know me, always doing something dangerous."

Hermione smiled and walked to his bed. "Death Eater attack?" she asked softly.

"Yeah. It was total chaos." he said as she set down the clip-board, pulled out her wand and began to mend his arm. "The Auror's had just started to arrive to work and the we, the people in the training program had just gotten there ready for our next class when they came storming in. I have no idea how they got there. Of course the auror office is always open first. We stopped them in the middle of the atrium. That statue is never going to be the same. I think Fudge is just going to have to rip it down after this," he hissed as she prodded the bone back into place with a firm tap of her wand. "Ow. Anyway it was just us trainees for a couple of minutes. We sent someone downstairs to get the Aurors. They came rushing up the lift and into the heat of the battle without even thinking. They were amazing. Hermione, you should have seen Tonks and Mad-Eye Moody. They were bloody amazing. Firing spells as if it was nothing. Although Tonks got hit by the Cruciatius curse more then once. She was still twitching when the Medi-Wizards came to apparate me here."

"I know," said Hermione closing up the bleeding gash with a simple wave. " I saw to Tonks personally myself." she said before fully understanding what he had said. "Wait, trainee's. Ron, was Draco there!" she asked, her face dropping.

"Yeah Hermione," Ron said as if this was the most obvious thing in the world. "He's pretty banged up. They apperated him here after me."

Hermione gushed. "I'll be back." She just had a gut feeling. She ran down the hallway quickly to the end of the hall. At the end she met a closed door. She picked up the clipboard and took one glance at the name. Without knocking she opened the door.

**A/N: Haha, cliffy. Sorry I have to do it now. I want to post this chapter now and my fingers are starting to hurt, just a little. And this whole sentence I haven't pressed the backspace once, I'm so proud of myself...haha. Anyway Dedications too...**

**Cutie11211**

**lovemealways**


	13. Worries

**A/N: So I know, I left you guys with a cliffy last time... I had too. But never fear because Chapter 13 is here!**

Hermione barged into the room. He had already been tended to but it was her job to make the final call. "Draco?" she asked softly in a high squeaky voice. His eyes were swollen and bloodshot from crying in pain. He was already changed out of his Auror clothes and into a hospital gown unlike Ron who would be released as soon as she finished her report.

"Hermione?" he asked turning his head. His eyes felt like they were on fire. He was hit by some spell that left deep lacerations to his chest by one of the death-eaters. He could have sworn it was Goyle had kicked him on his chin leaving a nasty welt there with some whip-lash.

"Oh god Draco." She said walking quickly to his side.

"Hermione, I was scared." He said when she knelt next to his bed and took his hand in hers. "I was scared that they would find you."

She looked at him. "You don't have to worry about me. It's you I have to worry about." She said trying to put some laughter in her voice. " I promise I'll get you out of here as soon as I can." She stood up and tried to move so she could get to her wand to look him over. He tightened his grip on her hand.

"Can you just stay with me for a few minutes?" he asked.

Hermione nodded and knelt back down next to him. She stood like that for several minutes until she could tell that he was asleep. She slowly removed her hand from his and checked him over quickly with her wand. She fixed a sloppy gauze pad on his chest, applied a numbing potion to his chin and then turned to leave wiping tears from her eyes. That was a big reality slap in the face for her. She knew that being an auror was a dangerous career but she also thought that at least he'd be safe during the training. Then she reminded herself it was just a once in a lifetime sort of deal, or so she hoped.

She looked up when she reached the door and saw Ellen standing there with a soft look on her face. "Oh Hermione." She said before pulling the younger witch into a hug. "What's wrong?"

Hermione sobbed silently for a few minutes, not wanting to attract attention to herself. When she calmed down enough, she pulled herself out of Ellen's arms. "Ellen, that's my boyfriend." She looked up into the older women's gaze.

"Oh dear. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have given you his case."

"No, no. Ellen, I'm glad you did. I don't trust anyone but myself, and you of course, to take care of him." They had started to walk back to the nurses station to get their large piles of reports. "Ellen, yesterday was our one year anniversary." She said softly.

"Oh honey." She put an arm around the girl and they went to the office. They got their reports and went back to their quarters to finish them. The next shift had come in an hour earlier and the Trauma Center was no longer under their control.

Hermione entered the room she shared with Ellen and two of her other healers-in-training. One of them was asleep on the bed above hers. The other had been sent home sick earlier in the morning. Hermione sat down at her desk and immediatly thanked Neville for bringing her food. She enlarged the tray and took a bite of her sandwich. After that she sat down and finished the reports, finishing each of them with her signature _Healer Hermione J. Granger_.

She took the stack off of the clipboards, made copies of them for documentation. She would drop those off at the nurses' station on the way out. She changed out of her hospital scrubs and back into her jeans and bundled up. She had 12 families to visit. Hermione was Draco's family. It was written on his emergency sheet in the Auror's office. _Who to contact in case of an emergency: _Hermione Granger. So she didn't have to worry about contacting Lucius.

She checked back on Draco by looking into his room as she passed it. He was still out cold. They gave him some dreamless sleep potion because everyone knows that you heal faster resting. She smiled and continued on. She stopped in on the Weasley's room. Ron was visiting his brother Charlie who had regained consciousness and was pronounced 'healthy' by Hermione. Actually he could use another day in the hospital but she knew that Molly would take fine care of him. "Hey boys." She said the moment she walked in.

"Hey," said Charlie who was sitting up, and nursing his side where the gash was just healed.

"Hey Mione." Said Ron who was sitting on the opposite bed.

"You guys ready to go home?" she asked.

"Yes!"

"Well come on. I have to 'notify' your family" she said using air-quotes. She figured that already knew, thanks to that magnificent clock they had.

Charlie and Ron followed Hermione out. She left the stack of papers in the nurse's tray "To be filed." and clocked out. She said goodbye to Neville who was in the lobby flooing home to his Gram. "Hey Neville, tell Luna I say 'Hi'"

"I will Hermione. See you." And with a leap of the flames and quick call from him he vanished.

"So guys do you want to floo or apparate?" She asked.

"Lets floo," said Charlie who wasn't feeling up to apparating.

"Dammit, I knew you were going to say that." Said Hermione who didn't like to floo anywhere now that she had her license. "You guys go first."

Ron and Charlie went first. Hermione sighed, grabbed a pinch of floo powder and resigned herself to probably landing flat on her face when she reached, "The Burrow!"

Within seconds she could feel herself slowing down and she flung out her arms to stop herself from hitting the floor. She managed to stay upright this time. "Hermione!" said Molly Weasley who had just gotten done hugging her two sons. She pulled Hermione into a hug as well. "We were so worried, dear." She said shakily. Hermione lead her back to her seat at the table which housed most of the Weasley family again. Minus Fleur and Bill who had to go upstairs to lie down because the excitement was getting Fleur all worked up and stress wasn't good for the baby who was due in two months, Percy and Penny who were upstairs dealing with a fussy Gideon, and Ginny who was, of course, at Hogwarts.

"There's no need to be Mrs. Weasley. They were just fine. Remember they were under my care." said Hermione with a small smile. She looked up and saw Charlie sitting there with a frown on his face. She gave him a small smile and he smiled back. "Here's a copy of Charlie's report, and one of Ron's." she said pulling out two papers. "Everything's good." she said before yawning.

"Oh dear, why don't you stay awhile. You could go take a nap in Ginny's room." said Mrs. Weasley getting up.

Hermione smiled at her. "As much as I would love to, I have 11 other families to visit before going back to the hospital." At Mrs. Weasley's questioning look. "Draco was attacked this morning. It's going to take a while to get him out of there. Another couple of hours."

"Oh dear. Give him our best wishes, will you?" said Mrs. Weasley as she walked with Hermione to the front door so she could apparate to the next house.

"Of course. I'll see you guys at Christmas." Said Hermione, and with a hug she was off to the next house with a turn on her heel.

4 hours later and many tissues later Hermione apparated back to St. Mungo's. It was about noon and yet she had no appetite. She looked around the busy waiting room that was filled with something like a chickens cluck. She didn't even turn her head to ask. She strode straight through the door getting one "Who do you think you are missy?" from one man who thought she was just going to walk back and get treated.

"I'm a healer sir." she replied over her shoulder before walking through the door.

"Hermione?" asked one of the healers, who she knew fancied her. "What are you doing here? Your shift doesn't start for another 8 hours." Ricardo asked breathless.

"No shit, sherlock. You know those death eater attacks this morning?" she asked.

"Yes, of course. I got called in because of them."

"I was already here. I tended to 13 patients in the time span of 2 hours. One of the people was my," she paused for emphasis. "Boyfriend, and now I'm back in this dreary old place to be here with him. So if you'll excuse me. I've got someone waiting for my return."

"Yeah," said Ricardo moving out of her way as she hastily brushed past him.

Hermione knew she shouldn't have been that mean to him. But she also knew that she had been up for more then 30 hours straight now and didn't plan on sleeping until Draco was home, safe in bed

She knocked on the door and opened it up slowly. Across from him she saw another one of the patients she had tended to this morning sitting up reading the Daily Prophet. "Good Afternoon." she said stepping in. With a quick glance she saw that Draco was still asleep. He hadn't moved a muscle.

The man with the paper looked up. "Oh Good Afternoon Miss Granger." He coughed and laid down his paper as she came over to sit next to his bed. " I was just reading the morning paper. Dreadful thing it is."

"I agree," she said wholeheartedly. "Although it's not as bad as Witch Weekly though. That thing is nothing but fix-it-up tips and gossip."

"Yes, of course. I remember my wife mentioning some nonsense about young Harry Potter a few years ago about how his heart has been broken several times over during that Tri-Wizard tournament by some girl who had gone after his opponent."

"Oh," Hermione said in a high squeaky voice. "I remember reading about that."

"Oh yes, quiet the scandal. Although she didn't believe a word of it. She said it was totally barbaric barging in on the boy's private life and she didn't think that some girl would do that. Then again she never did like that Rita Skeeter one bit."

"Isn't she an evil, foul woman. I remember her all over Hogwarts during that tournament. She was just a like a little beetle we couldn't get rid of." Hermione said, while smiling.

He was silent for a few moments. " I'm sorry dear, I'm just trying to remember that poor girls name who that skeeter woman fouled so much."

Hermione blushed. "I think I could tell you that." she said softly. When the man looked at her she blushed even more. "It was me. I'm one of Harry Potter's best friends."

"It was you!" he thought again for a few minutes. "That's right! You were Viktor Krum's hostage during the second task. I remember seeing you! I was in the crowd. Gosh, that was years ago. Oh then again at the reunion ball!" he said with his face gleaming. "What were you wearing, my dear?"

"A white dress that came to my knees and waves down to my ankles." she said.

"And you danced with Mr. Krum?" he asked.

"Yes, for the opening dance." she said getting more interested in this fellow as time progressed.

"I saw you then too." He said smiling. At her shocked face he laughed and tapped his nose. "Photographic memory."

"Ah," she said knowledgeably. "I've read about those."

Across the room came a small chuckle. Hermione turned her head to see Draco smiling weakly at her since he had just woken up. "Your still the same, Hermione."

She excused herself and walked over to Draco. Behind her she heard the man pick up the paper again. "I know, and I don't plan on changing anytime soon."

"Good, I wouldn't want you too." He said.

She smiled and lowered herself down to his lips and gave him a soft, warm kiss. "Mmm, feeling better?" she asked, her arms still on either side of his head propping herself up so she was looking straight down at him.

"Mmhmm, much. So," He asked as she pulled up the chair and sat down right next to him. "When can I get the hell out of here?" he asked. This earned a chuckle from the guy across the room who didn't surface from behind the paper.

Hermione laughed softly. "As soon as a healer looks you over and gives you the all clear."

"Well then, I don't see a healer... oh wait! There's Hermione. She's a healer."

Hermione shook her head. "I'm off duty. It has to be someone on the paid staff right now."

"Dammit."

"Yeah, no kidding." Said Hermione. " I just have to hope that it's not..." she never finished that sentence. There was a knock at the door and a healer popped his head in.

He came in and glanced around. "Hermione?" he asked when his eyes landed on her. They then moved to the hand she held clasped in her own.

Hermione groaned. "Ricardo."

**A/N: There you go guys, a nice long chapter. I hope you like. So, I was going to update like 4 days ago but fanfiction was being iffy so blame them not me for the long delay, I had this chapter typed up for a while. Dedications to**

**Dreamcatcher27  
**

**draqonqween27**

**lovemealways  
**


	14. Exhausted

**A/N: So that was a nice chapter. Or so I think...so here's another! Sorry for the delay, school an all.**

Hermione groaned aloud when Ricardo came in check Draco over. He asked Hermione to wait outside, which she did reluctantly. It wasn't like there was anything there that she hadn't seen before several times over. But she did, she knew that Ricardo was going to ask Draco questions about her and Draco would cooly shut him out.

It seemed to work because ten minutes later she was let back in the room to find Draco tying his gown back on behind his head. " I don't think he likes me very much."

Hermione bent over his shoulder and helped him out. "Of course he doesn't, he likes me."

Draco chuckled "He said that I could leave in a couple of hours. He just wanted to make one more observation."

"Of course, send you home when I'm ready to get back to work." she said. "Oh well, I'm not going anywhere without you."

"Mione, you should go home and get some sleep." Said Draco softly as she yawned.

"No, I'm not going home. I'm going to try to get your butt out of here sooner," she yawned again. "After I get some coffee."

"Hermione." Draco said sternly.

"I'll be right back," she said walking out quickly. She maneuvered her way up the stairs to the tea room. She walked right to the back and started to help herself. She poured herself a large coffee and added two creams, two sugars and a spoon of chocolate topping. She also grabbed a small cup of tea that she would give to Draco because he shouldn't be having coffee yet. She nodded to the Barista and continued back downstairs. She noticed her hands were shaking slightly. She knew she was exhausted.

She meandered back downstairs saying hi to the people she knew. She knocked on the door again and entered without a consent. Draco sat up and took the cup from her as she sat down on the edge of her chair again.

Hermione took a sip of her coffee and found it to her liking. She took another sip before looking up at Draco. He smiled down at her. He soon finished his coffee and fell asleep again. Hermione stood up and took the mug from his limp hands, covered him back up, and walked out of the room. She leaned herself back against the wall and took a couple of breaths. She could feel her energy slowly sapping itself out of her body.

She stood up and, in a slow shuffling walk, made her way to the apparition point outside the hospital. With a turn of her heel she was gone.

She intended to grab a bite to eat and just head to bed, but unfortunately all they had were old instant heat dinners. They were definitely not what Hermione was in the mood for, as she had been living off of them since she could remember. So she went grocery shopping.

An hour later she returned to the house and put all the food away before making her own belated lunch.

She looked at the clock. Two hours and she was due back at St. Mungo's. Two hours. Thinking those words seemed to make a feeling of fatigue fill her body. She slowly dragged herself up the stairs to her room where she set her alarm and promptly passed out on her bed

---

"Hermione." she was being shaken. It was Draco, he'd been sent home.

"Draco?" she asked sitting up groggily. "Oh what a gross feeling one gets when having slept in their clothes, ick."

"I know the feeling." He said sitting down next to her.

"What time is it?" she asked rubbing her eyes.

"6:57" he said, consulting his watch.

Hermione didn't mutter a word before she took off, sprinting outside where she apparated away with a loud pop. Back to work.

She changed quickly into her hospital robes and was back out on the floor apologizing to Ellen. "I'm so sorry, I overslept."

Ellen smiled and patted her on her arm. "It's fine. Truly. It's been a quiet hour." and with that she sent Hermione off working patients of her own.

Around 5 am, she managed to scurry off to the mess hall. She was standing in line waiting for the fresh plate of scones to come out when Neville came up behind her. She rubbed her temples.

"Hey Mione." he said picking up an orange juice.

"Hey Neville." Hermione said, still rubbing her forehead.

Neville wrinkled his brow. "What's wrong?" he asked putting a scone on her plate.

"Nothing, I've just got a terrible headache." she blinked her eyes. Little black dots were swimming in front of them. The floor was moving slightly beneath her. "I don't feel so good." she said groping for something to hold on to. Suddenly there was nothing.

Neville reached for her arm as she began to fall backwards. He gripped it tight while moving his body so he cradled her as she fell. "Hermione!" he said loudly pulling her up next to him. Behind him he could hear chairs being scraped back as other Healers rushed to his aid. He slipped his right arm underneath her right arm and held her up off of the ground.

Her eyes blinked. She moaned and Neville helped her find her footing again. Ellen was by her side. "Come on Longbottom, lets get her to lay down." she said taking Hermione's other arm.

"No," said Hermione sitting back against the metal rail that ran alongside the lunch line. "I'm fine. Just a little dizzy."

Ellen nodded to Neville. "Lets go." she said and they both walked Hermione out of the room.

Ellen sat with Hermione in a waiting chair by the hospital fire with a comforting arm around Hermione's shoulders as Neville flooed Draco. "Malfoy?" came out Neville's voice, a little squeaky, he still hadn't forgiven Draco for all the years of torment he put him through nor had he forgotten the pain he could inflict. In other words, he was still scared of the youngest Malfoy.

Draco looked up from the couch, where he was sitting reading the morning edition of the Daily Prophet. "Longbottom?"

"Y-yes. Could you come here for a bit?" Neville squeaked through the fire.

"Here? St. Mungo's." Draco said standing up, and walking around the coffee table.

"Yes. Hermione passed out." Neville said, slightly relieved that he was holding a civil conversation with Malfoy.

"What? Move Longbottom." said Malfoy. He came charging through the fire.

Neville stood up quickly and too the side of the fireplace as Draco came walking out. He looked toward's Neville, to ask where Hermione was, when he moved pass him to Hermione who had her head in her hands. She was still wearing her healer's robes although they were open to reveal the white tee-shirt she was wearing beneath them and green hospital scrubs. "Come on Mione." he said.

Ellen helped her up although Hermione protested that she didn't need it. "She's got the rest of today off as sick leave, and a scheduled day off tomorrow. Make sure she sleeps." she said to Draco.

"No problem." said Draco, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. They walked to the fireplace and threw in a handful of Floo powder. "Haven house." he said and they were whooshed away.

Once home Hermione began to strip out of her robes, leaving it on a hanger by the front door.

Draco followed her upstairs and helped her change into some pajama's. "Wanna tell me what happened?" he asked as she pulled her shirt on over her head and he pulled down the covers to her bed.

"I was just really tired. My body just decided to give up for a few seconds, that's all." she said looking up at him. She reached up and tugged his shoulders. He bent and kissed her lips.

"You should go to sleep." he said.

"Pft." she said falling down on her bed. She made the puppy dog face and reached up for him. He grinned and climbed into bed next to her. "Alright, now sleep."

Soon they were both fast asleep.

**A/N: Lame ending I know, but I've got to think about the next chapter. You know what to do. Review! DON'T FLAME! Chapter Dedications too...**

**Ccpupme**

**lovemealways**

**dreamcatcher27**

**dragonqween27**


	15. Christmas Eve

**A/N: So I corrected some mistakes in the last chapter, nothing major. On with the show...weee...**

Hermione jumped awake at 5:30 in the morning, she felt as if she still had to go to work, then she remembered. It was her glorious, wonderful, fantastic 2 weeks off. She was so happy. It was Christmas time and Healers-in-Training, although still on call incase of severe emergences were off on vacation. She smiled, rolled over and fell asleep again, just to wake up 3 hours later to the smell of breakfast cooking in the kitchen.

She stretched and threw the covers off her. Skipping, she went to her window and opened the curtains. It was snowing out. She smiled out at the winter tundra that their backyard had become and smiled. Christmas was only 2 days away. Two days and everyone she cared about would be together. It was exciting.

Slipping on some slippers, and smoothing her hair back into a ponytail she walked down the spiraling staircase to the kitchen.

Draco looked up when he heard footsteps coming down the metal staircase. "Hey babe." he said when he saw her face round the last corner.

"Hey," she said stepping lightly onto the floor before crossing it to the coffee pot that was still brewing. "Whatcha making?" she asked after pouring herself a large mug of coffee.

"French Toast." he said flipping it in the skillet before sliding it off onto a plate. "Wanna slice some strawberries?" he asked. He was ecstatic he'd get to spend some well deserved quality time with his Hermione for the next couple of weeks.

She smiled and picked up a knife from the knife block, "Eh, why not?" Hermione smiled before getting to work at the already washed strawberries on the chopping block next to the stove. "Whoa, wait, since when do you cook?" she asked looking at him as he skillfully flipped the toast onto a plate

Draco laid the toast onto plates and put whipped cream on them. "Since I had to fend for myself." Deciding to act the devil he is, he took a quick look at Hermione who had taken a step to the left to put the knife in the sink. He placed some cream on his hand and proceeded to push it into the center of her face. Hermione gasped in surprise as the delectable treat collided with her nose, eyelashes and mouth.

Draco laughed as she wiped it off of her face. "Oh my god, your going down!" Hermione said picking up the bowl of whipped cream. She took the spoon out of the bowl and slopped it into his hair as he tried to run away.

"Oh, my hair." he cried as he picked the bowl off of his head.

Hermione smiled and walked up to him, some cream still on her nose, under her eyes and across her cheeks. She stood right in front of him, stuck her finger out and wiped some cream off of his forehead. Smiling, she stuck her finger in her mouth. "Mmm, yummy."

"Damn straight it's yummy. It was on my forehead." he said throwing her a paper towel

Hermione just shook her head as she wiped the rest of the cream from her face.

---

Hermione sat, later that evening in front of the roaring fire going over her latest healing homework. Suddenly her flames grew green and up popped the face of Molly. "Mrs. Weasley!" said Hermione looking up.

"Oh, hello, Hermione, dear." she said, it was obvious she was upset. "We've got a situation of sorts."

Hermione moved to kneel by the fire. "What sort of situation?"

Molly tried to smile, "Oh you know, the usual, leaky roof, can't cook, kitchen shut off. Can't have Christmas here."

Hermione's face dropped, "Oh no! I was hoping my parents could come and see a wizarding Christmas."

"I know, dear. I'm sorry. I'm trying to get Grimauld place but..."

"It's a complete mess, I know." said Hermione rubbing her forehead. She suddenly looked up. "I wonder if I can pull a few strings." she said wondering.

"Where?" asked Molly.

"I'll get back to you!" Hermione said getting up from her position in front of the fire. "Draco!" she said shouting up the stairs trying to find him.

---

Hermione hugged Draco again. "Thank you so much!"

Draco smiled. It was good to be able to do something so small and see her smile. "Again, your welcome."

Hermione looked up at the Manor. It looked exactly as it did months ago. Except now vacant and dormant, and slightly scruffy. After talking to Draco, and agreeing that their house was way to small to host a large Christmas eve party, he apparated over to the Ministry of Magic and pulled some strings, and was able to get the manor cleared for four days and two nights for Christmas. There was even enough room for everyone to stay the night. Now it was up to Hermione, Draco and a couple close friends to get the Manor back into it's tip top shape.

Towards the end of the day, you couldn't recognize it as the same manor as it was early that morning. Hermione had taken to straightening out all of the bedrooms seeing as they all were almost going to be filled, then herself, Ginny and Lindsay went Christmas shopping for food and gathered what food was at the burrow and stored them in the cabinets and icebox. Draco Harry and reluctantly Ron had taken over the living area. They fixed up end tables, cleaned the couches, stored wood for a fire and even gone out and commissioned Hagrid to bring a humongous Christmas tree which Hermione decorated with blinking white lights, tinsel, and some old ornaments she had found in the attic of the spacious manor.

They locked it up and everyone apparated away except Hermione and Draco who stood back to look at it. The window's were clean and instead of a sense of foreboding, the plastic candles, lit by magic of course, that gleamed cheerfully in the windows made it seem very warm and comforting.

They couldn't stay here that night, because the clearance specifically stated that it could only be inhabited over night the following two nights and the final day would be spent clearing the house out again.

Hermione smiled at Draco, who pulled her into a hug before they both stepped outside the gates and apparated away.

That night Draco dreamed of a love filled Christmas morning

---

Draco watched Hermione as she ran the operations in the kitchen with Molly as her co-commander, directing people with a point of her plastic spatula. He and the other men, Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy, Mr. Weasley, and Neville had been sent out after their previous attempt that ended up with the ham cut in two and half plastered to the ceiling. He scampered away before Hermione's full rage could cascade upon them. The poor guys didn't know what hit them, Draco on the other hand managed to escape relatively unharmed.

Earlier in the day Hermione and Draco had both been busy situating people in rooms. Mr and Mrs Weasley were situated in the largest guest room, Percy, Penny and Gideon were all in the nursery, Fred and George were together and their girlfriends Angelina Johnson and Katie Bell had a room to share, although it seemed as if they had merged rooms, Ron and Harry both got their own rooms and with clever thinking Harry's room connected to Ginny's, Neville took Draco's old room and Luna the guest room attached to that one, and his Gran took a large set of rooms in the west wing of the house, while Hermione's parents would spend the night in Hermione's old room, leaving Hermione and Draco to sleep in the master room for the first time since his parents occupied it together.

Now it was about five in the evening and time for Hermione to go get her parents, but she was so involved with the meal she didn't even notice the time fly by. Draco smiled as he watched her pop three pies out of the oven simultaneously . Her hair was popping out of her ponytail, her face flushed a light pink by the heat the oven was giving off, and the multitude of warm bodies around her. Her blue sweater was pushed up around her elbows and she was running around in her socks. She was beautiful.

He swept into the kitchen when everything sort of quieted down and the only noises were female chatter and the quiet bubbling of something on the stove top. He stopped behind Hermione and covered her eyes.

"What?" she said reaching up for the hands that covered her eyes. Draco kissed her cheek softly and took his hands away.

"You need to go get your parents." he said softly.

"Oh, your right." she said scurrying away from him to find her boots. She slipped the tan boots on and ran out of the kitchen, therefore leaving Molly in charge of finding dishware for all of the many foods.

Draco followed her through the living room to the lobby where she found her jacket and a scarf. She quickly wrapped them on.

He hugged her good-bye and she looked up at him with sparkling brown eyes. " I love you." she said stepping up onto her tips toes to kiss him.

"I love you too. Be safe." he said thinking about the icy roads and the fact that Hermione would be driving her parents to the manor.

" I will," said Hermione stepping out into the cold. She turned and looked back at the house. She smiled and waved her wand and the lights outside the house lit up. Bright and white, it was beautiful. The bushes were covered in them too, and candles were in every window and inside the biggest window of them all was a sparkling Christmas tree, all lit up with smiling and happy people around it. If Hermione took a picture of it she would put it on a post card, that's how perfect it was. She walked carefully down the driveway towards the gate as to not disturb the snow.

She waved to Tonks who was on Auror duty at the gate for that moment. Tomorrow she would be off to join in the festivities. Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, Dumbledore and other members of the order would be joining them for Christmas dinner tomorrow night. With a quick turn of her heel she was off.

She appeared in front of her childhood home and smiled. It was exactly the same as it was ten years ago.

She walked up the sidewalk and walked inside without even knocking. "Mum? Dad?"

"Coming Hermione!" said her mother from up the stairs.

"Hurry up, you don't want to miss dinner!" said Hermione looking at the number of suitcases that had appeared in the foyer. "You guys know your only going for two nights right?" she said picking up one. It was heavy so it must have been her mothers.

"I know," said her father coming down the stairs, finishing buttoning up his white shirt. "It's your mother we've got to worry about."

"Well dear, it's our first Christmas in the Wizarding world!" said Mrs. Granger, coming down the stairs slipping a sweater vest over her button up shirt. "We want to make good first impressions." she said.

"Mum, you don't have to worry about that!" said Hermione waving her want and levitating the suitcases to the garage and into the car.

"I'll never get used to that." said Mr. Granger pulling on a suit jacket.

Hermione laughed. "Well, there is going to be a lot of magic this weekend, so be prepared."

Mrs. Granger smiled and followed her husband out the door, when she made to lock the door she found that it locked itself. When she turned around Hermione had pocketed her wand and was settling into the drivers seat.

It was a quiet hour's drive back to the manor. When they were almost ready to start up the long road that lead up to the driveway of the manor Hermione directed her parents to cover their eyes, which they did, a little reluctantly.

Hermione pulled into the cleared space on the grass, just inside of the gates and parked. She helped both of her parents out and led them to the middle of the driveway. "Ok, open your eyes." They both, uncovered their eyes and looked up in awe at the light covered manor, "Welcome to Malfoy Manor." Hermione said smiling.

Her parents both looked back at her and then back to the house. While they were looking at the house Hermione levitated the luggage out of the trunk of the car and led the way up the driveway.

The door opened when they were climbing the stairs to reveal Draco as he stepped out onto the stoop. "Welcome!" he said, shaking the offered hand from Mr. Granger.

Hermione navigated the luggage around Draco and set it in a corner of the foyer to be dealt with later.

Hermione's parents stepped inside the manor and Draco closed the door behind them. Hermione led the way into the living room where everyone was now situated. The food had just been finished and they were just waiting for Hermione and her parents to get there. "Everybody, meet my parents, John and Jane Granger." she said walking down into the enormous crowd.

If her parents had been fascinated by the house they had been awestruck by the company. Of course they had met Mr and Mrs Weasley, as well as Ron, Harry and Ginny, but everyone else was totally new to them. They couldn't quiet get over the fact that there were seven Weasley children, as well as one partially adopted one, Harry, and the fact that Fred and George looked totally alike. They were most comfortable around Lindsay, of course, but they seemed to like everyone equally.

Later after a lovely dinner, provided by the ladies, and the clean-up that the men faced, they all settled in the living room. Hermione ended up on the floor, leaning against Draco, as he leaned against the edge of the sofa while everyone engaged in soft chatter. She stared at the bottom of the Christmas tree thinking about how it wouldn't be so bare in the morning.

Soon it was almost time for bed, but not before everyone had some egg nog, or hot chocolate and some pie. Hermione, Molly, Ginny, Mrs Granger and Mrs. Longbottom jumped up (or hobbled) to the kitchen to cut the selected pieces of pie giving Draco his perfect chance.

"Mr. Granger, may I please speak with you for a second?" he asked walking to the elder gentleman.

"Certainly Draco." he said pleasantly.

"Privately?" Draco asked nodding towards the lobby.

Mr. Granger stood up and followed the younger man.

Draco stopped and looked down at his feet, stuffing his hands into his pants. "There's a question I've got to ask you, because there is also one I've got to ask Hermione, and I don't feel right asking her before I get your permission." Mr. Granger stared at Draco as he lifted his head to make direct eye contact. " I wouldn't feel right asking her to wear this without your permission."

Mr. Granger swore he felt his heart stop. This was not happening!

**A/N: Wow, that's a long chapter, seriously, it is. 6 pages on WordPerfect. I wonder what Draco is going to ask? Hummm, I guess you'll find out next time. Hehe. Well as you know November is right around the corner and that means...NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH! WHOOOOOO. So get signed up for this amazing competition (between you and your willpower, of course) at nanowrimo (dot) org. Dedications too...**

**Elena Miscellany**

**Dragonqween27**

**Olivia**

**ccpupme**


	16. The Last Gift

**A/N: Weeee, okay, so I'm back from the land of NaNoWriMo, with a completed novel that I have to say is absolutely fantastical! I'm very proud of it, only some minor tweaking, some more filler scenes, and a bit more character development and I've got one heck of a novella. I know a bit of a cliff-hanger at the end of that chapter, but you know me, I'm the queen of cliff-hangers. It happens. Chapter 16.**

Hermione hummed to herself as she cleaned up plates from the great room. The fire was just smoldering ash at the point and everyone else in the house was asleep. Except Draco who had just finished showing her parents to their room. He came back down the stairs, slipping his shoes off at the front door, before going into the great room and taking some of the dishes that were precariously perched on her arms.

Hermione noticed that he was in an extremely good mood for some reason. "What happened?"

" What do you mean?" he asked as he set the charm in the sink for them to scrub themselves. Mr. Granger had agreed!

"Your in a good mood." she said sitting up on the counter.

"I've got good reason to be in a good mood." he said walking over to her and setting his palms down on the counter on either side of her. He kissed her softly. She brought her hands up around his neck.

Just as he was starting to trail his kisses down her neck did she hear the faint cough from behind them. She stopped him and turned around to see Tonks standing there. "Wotcher, just wanted some water." she said, struggling not to laugh.

Hermione giggled and slid off of the counter. "Good night Tonks," she said walking towards the door. She pushed it open and disappeared behind it. Draco sighed and turned his attention back to the dishes which were about halfway done.

"Your bitten." said Tonks, coming to sit on the counter beside Draco.

"Bitten?" asked Draco.

"Your in love, Draco." said Tonks, sipping her water.

" I know."

"Anything in mind?" she asked curious.

"Maybe." he said, waving his wand one more time, making the now clean plates, dry and fly to their places. "G'night Tonks." he said walking out the door in which Hermione had disappeared through only a minute before.

He found her upstairs pulling the covers down from the large master bedroom. The room itself was painted a bright and cheery yellow. You would figure that it would be dark green, but no the light wood make it seem very cheerful. The hardwood floors were covered in large area rugs making it seem very homey. She smiled when he walked in and shut the door behind him. He stretched his arms to the sky as she walked to the end of the bed and began digging through her trunk, which she hadn't bothered to unpack.

Sitting on the bed, Draco took off his socks and pulled his turtleneck off baring his pale chest, while Hermione, with no modesty whatsoever, pulled off her shirt over her head, revealing the blue lacy bra that she'd put on in the morning to match the dark shirt she was wearing. "I'm exhausted." She said undoing her belt at the waist of her jeans, before bending over again to fold the blue sweater.

Draco walked behind her, his feet making no noise on the carpet and wrapped his arms around her waist. She gasped lightly at first but then allowed herself to be cradled against his body, the warmth of his chest soothing the ache in her back that had developed sometime between cutting potatoes for dinner and yelling at the boys.

He reached up and moved her hair, which she'd let down as soon as she walked into the room, to kiss her neck. For a few moments she allowed herself to be ravished by Draco, until she came to her senses. "Draco, stop."

"Why?" he asked and went back to kissing it, working his way up her neck.

"Everyone is here, what if someone walks in on us?"

Draco pulled out his wand and pointed it at the door, after locking it, he placed an anti-alohamora charm on it. "No they won't."

She turned around and started to kiss him back as he held onto her tighter. "What about my parents, Draco? What if they hear us?" Hermione said pulling back as Draco picked her up off of her feet and wrapping her still jean clad legs around his waist.

"Oh well," he said kissing her on her chin.

"It's no oh well," she said pushing back from him. "Seriously, how awkward would that be for my father to walking down the hallway for a glass of water to hear animal noises coming from the room they _know _is ours?"

"Hermione, it's not like they expect us to share a room and not have sex." he said matter-of-factly.

"It's still awkward." she said, but she soon forgot about it.

---

Hermione was awoken by the crack of dawn by someone, Fred or George Weasley, running, screaming down the hallway. "Wake up everyone! It's Christmas!" Then they were heard thundering down the stairs.

Hermione groaned. She was still tired from the day before, and the night that just passed, but she knew that she should get up and stop Fred/George/The Weasley Twins from ripping through everyone's presents.

She moved the arm that was around her waist and quickly got dressed in the pajama's she'd brought the night for the night before but never got to wear. They were green plaid pants, paired with a red tank top. She pulled out her old Gryffindor robe and donned it before grabbing Draco's clothes, which consisted of green sweat pants and a darker green t-shirt, and some boxers of course, and threw them at him. "Get up, sleepy pants."

"Idunwanna," was what Hermione heard from Draco's pillow.

"I'll give you a kiss," she said seductively.

"Bleck." he said snuggling further down into his down pillow.

"I'll give you a repeat performance of last night." she said moving closer to him, rubbing his shoulder.

"Maybe later," he said pulling the covers up over his shoulder

Hermione sighed in frustration,"Come on, or Fred or George, or possibly Ron, will open your presents." she said slipping on slippers.

"Presents!?" Draco said sitting straight up. "That's right! It's Christmas! Hermione, why didn't you say so in the first place?!" he asked while putting on his boxers, then his pants very quickly.

"Oh yeah, that'll get you up." Hermione said walking towards their door.

Just as she pushed the great double doors open, Draco darted past her, pulling his shirt on.

She sighed as he, in front of her parents, slid down the railing to the bottom floor, falling off at the end. He scrambled up and all but dove on the presents. This earned a chuckle from her mother and a down right laugh from her father.

All around her people were waking up. The Weasley's (including Fred and George's respective girlfriends), Longbottoms, Harry, Lindsay and Luna were all filing out of hiding, yawning and dawning robes.

Hermione skipped down the stairs quickly, and walked into the living room where Draco, Fred and George were making short work of sorting their presents out from everyone elses. The pile was massive. On the other side Tonks and Moody walked into the room carefully balancing cups and saucers on a tray, well, Moody was anyway, while Tonks managed not to be clumsy when following with large pots of coffee and morning tea.

Hermione laughed and figured this was something that all kids, wizard or muggle, went through, especially the boys. It was Christmas. Finally.

She sat down on the couch as the boys sorted the presents, and took a cup of coffee. Draco, finally remembering his manners, took over control of the house again, like he was supposed to. He gently pushed the other guys away and began to dish out the numerous presents.

Needless to say Mr. Weasley got a load of Muggle stuff, the best provided by Hermione's parents, a book on how to wire a light socket. They had been horrified when Hermione told them what Mr. Weasley wanted, but they trusted her and were now surprised that Mr. Weasley, not asking what they were thinking, was instead deeply studying the book with it's diagrams and pictures. Fred and George got ingredients, much to Mrs. Weasley's dismay, and everyone got a traditional Weasley sweater (which must have taken Mrs. Weasley months to make) and some fudge.

Hermione's parents got a various number of contraptions they didn't know the use off, but Hermione promised to teach them.

Soon all the presents were gone from underneath the tree, but still everyone was looking around, anxiously, like they were waiting for something. Hermione herself got up and peered underneath the tree. "I'm sorry everyone, it looks like the fun is over. All the presents have been opened."

"Not all of them." Said Draco from behind her.

She turned around to look at him. She stood up, "What are you talking about Draco?" she asked, almost laughing. "There's nothing left."

"No, my dear Hermione, your right. There isn't anything left under the tree, but there is one more thing to give."

She wrinkled her nose. "What?"

"Hermione," he said, he gulped. Shakily he got down on one knee. He saw Hermione's eyes go big. He took one of her hands, the one that wasn't being held to her mouth. She began to breath heavily. "Hermione Jane Granger, will you marry me?" he asked, fumbling for a minute with the box he held. It almost slipped out of his hand.

"Oh my god," she said softly, looking at the ring. Around them all the family was waiting for her answer. Apparently it had gotten around the house, through the grapevine, that Draco was going to ask her. "Of course. Yes!" she said taking her hand away from her mouth.

They cheered as Draco, now with a huge smile on his face, stood up and placed the ring on her finger. A camera flash went off, followed by smoke. Hermione took one look at the ring, a tasteful platinum band with a single diamond inset into it, and threw her arms around Draco, hugging him close.

**A/N: Eh, not bad considering my fingers still throb from NaNo. Did anyone else do NaNoWriMo? Let me know! Kudos to...**

**dragonqween27**

**dreamcatcher27 (aka Olivia)**

**colorguardgirl**

**cutie11211**


	17. Flooing to the Burrow

**A/N: Okay, now that we know what all the excitement was about, everyone is going to live happily ever after... or maybe not... We'll see!**

Hermione couldn't stop smiling as she got dressed. After every article of clothing she pulled on she stopped and glanced at the diamond ring he had just placed on her finger. It was beautiful, but not over extravagant.

She had to drive her parents home. She thought of them and thought that they had fun. That afternoon, after Draco proposed, they had the most amazing Christmas dinner. Much to her surprise, Albus Dumbledore had actually managed to pull away from Hogwarts for the evening, after their Christmas lunch, and he brought along Minvera McGonagall, and much to Hermione's displeasure, Severus Snape. She supposed he had a right to be there though, as Draco's godfather. Hermione swore she saw some displeasure in Snape's eyes when Draco proceeded to tell the people who had just arrived of their engagement. Dumbledore regarded them with a warm smile, but his eyes betrayed him. Was something going to happen that Hermione and Draco couldn't possibly think of? Had he seen something? Had Trelawney made another prediction? Hermione shook it off and turned back to the kitchens, leaving Draco in charge of entertaining their guests.

Along with the arrival of Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape, Remus Lupin, Tonks, Mad-Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Bill, Charlie and Fleur Weasley showed up, having spent a large amount of time at the Burrow trying to fix the hole in the roof. (Well, the boys did, Fleur spent a large amount of time reading baby books. Her baby was due soon,) and a couple other people from the Order. Draco also invited some of his new friends from Auror training, Roger and James, they were both from America.

Hermione was slightly overwhelmed with the amount of people in the house. There were over 30 people in the house. On paper it didn't look so bad, but this time people were crowded all over the living room.

Draco was being a big help by running appetizer trays in and out the kitchen. Taking one tray out, only to return two minutes later for another one. Hermione on the other had was preparing a huge dinner for everyone. Instead of having a sit down dinner they were going to serve up the food buffet style, there just wasn't enough room to seat everyone and still have food on the table.

Hermione and the other women managed to turn out a feast that could rival one at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore said so himself.

Draco came up behind Hermione who was walking along behind the table making sure that each dish had it's own spoon, fork or other utensil. He put his hands on her hips and kissed her cheek. She turned her head and smiled at him. It was the smallest moments that mattered the most.

Dinner was quite the affair. After everyone had been served and seated throughout the whole first level, at the table's, in the chairs in the living room, and on the magnificent staircase. Hermione was the last one to eat. Draco had already prepared her a plate and let her lead the way to the window seat by the Christmas tree.

The sounds of happy, mingling people filled the air, along with the smell of turkey. After dinner, and with a troupe of dancing wreaths, garland and jingle bells entertaining everyone who laughed at their fantastic tricks. (Such as the jingle bells allowing themselves to be thrown through the wreaths.)

Hermione sat back against Draco in the window seat, he had his arms wrapped around her waist, and his hand's playing with hers. He kept running his fingers over the band on her left ring finger. They were enjoying the only few moments they got together until that night. For as soon as the decorations ended their show, they were thrust forward into the parts of being hosts.

Hermione kept sighing softly to herself, as she stopped and looked at the ring on her finger. Every couple of articles of clothing she'd stop and look at it. She knew Draco was pushing the last few stragglers (Weasley's) out the fire grate. She heard him come stomping back up the stairs. He was pulling on his jacket, he held hers in his hand. "Come on love, the aurors are ready to seal this place back up." he said flipping the collar of his jacket up.

She snapped the clasps on her suitcase shut and picked it up. She set it by the door and allowed Draco to help her into her jacket. "I'm ready to go home." she said sighing.

"Me too." he said, then realized, in shock, how much he meant it. The Manor wasn't his home anymore, it was just a house he lived in once upon a time. His home was back in Hogsmeade with Hermione. He smiled as he watched her whoosh away in the fire grate, holding her suitcase. He was in love. He recognized it this time. His times with Pansy weren't love, but lust, now he was with Hermione, he recognized the difference, and that realization chose to hit him just as he was pulled into the fireplace.

---

Hermione could barely breathe with all the people crowded around her. On her lunch break, she dared to put on her ring again, just to look at it, for she had taken it off during the day, while working on patents, because it constantly broke the latex-free gloves, and the moment she did, it seemed that all the nurses in St. Mungo's came crowding around her looking at it.

Her hand kept being pulled and she kept being asked questions. "When did this happen?!" "Morning or afternoon?" "In front of your parents?" "Did he really ask permission first, truly?" "What did you say?!" and she kept responding. "Christmas." "Morning." "Yes." "My dad said he did." and "Yes, obviously!"

"Now, now, ladies, break it up." said a calm voice from behind. It was Draco. Hermione smiled and stood up. "Hey."

"What are you doing here?" she asked hugging him close to her.

"I came to have lunch with my fiancee'." he said. "Is that okay?" he asked.

"Of course!" She said dragging him away from the group of nurses towards the lunch line. Hermione knew that behind them every single nurse in the cafeteria were watching them and she knew that Draco knew as well.

He was being the picture perfect guy. Too close, but not overwhelmingly so, and then he carried her tray as she loaded them both up with food. He would look at her directly in her eye when she talked, and seemed as if he was listening intently. All the nurses took note, for the love affairs of young healers-in-training were absolutely fascinating.

Hermione couldn't help but smile as she meandered down the hallways. Hermione took out her wand and tapped the door to her and Ellen's office, it swung open and she walked inside. She had only begun to fill out some of the paper work overfilling her in tray when Ellen came into the room.

" There you are Hermione." she said closing the door behind her.

Hermione looked up and smiled. "Were you looking for me?" she asked.

"Only slightly." she said setting her stuff down on her desk. " I just got off the floo with a Mrs. Weasley. She was wondering how to contact you?"

"Why did she want to talk to me?"

"She said that she wants you to be at the Burrow for the birth of her son's baby."

Hermione leaped up out of her chair, her chair slamming backwards on the floor. "Fleur is having her baby! Oh my god! Did she say when? I mean, not when, no one knows, if she's in labor."

"She said that she had abdominal cramps and lower back pain, the first signs of labor. Her water broke just an hour ago!"

Hermione whipped around to look at the clock. "And I'm off in 15 minutes! I'm going straight over!" she smiled, "This is just so exciting!"

She couldn't sit still and the moment the clock read 4:00 she leapt out of her chair, changed back into her normal street clothes with no hint of modesty whatsoever, and ran out the door, smiling. She didn't floo home that night, but the burrow, where she had Ginny contact Draco.

**A/N: Well, okay, so I know that wasn't a really good chapter, just kinda a filler one but I felt the need to update. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!**

**dragonqween27**

**Courtney Dax**

**dreamcatcher27 (olivia)**


	18. To show you care

**A/N: Sorry for such a long wait, classes this semester are killer! My only bit of sanity is coming from the thought that I only have 5 months left and I'm done! Well, until college, haha.**

Screams of pain and fluent curses in french reached down into the living room where the majority of the Weasley family was waiting anxiously for the arrival of Fleur and Bill's baby. Mrs. Weasley and Hermione were the only two allowed upstairs. They even kicked Bill out at one point, but he managed to wrangle his way back into the room for the birth of his baby.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, and the twins all sat across the room from Draco, they still couldn't quiet get used to having him in the Weasley household as a guest. When they were in a different place they could see him as a person, but inside the Weasley house, they couldn't get over the feeling of wanting to push him out on his ass.

It was an uncomfortable 8 hours for Draco as he waited for Hermione to come downstairs. Technically he didn't have to be here, and at the moment he felt that the Weasley's (and Harry) didn't want him there either, but he wanted to get in with Hermione's friends. He wanted to show them that he was on their side, he was a good guy, so he stuck it out into the wee hours of the morning.

He sat awake while the twins dozed lightly on the couch, Harry in a well loved old chair and Ginny, curled in her usual cat like fashion, on Harry's lap. Mr. Weasley was sipping coffee at the kitchen table, writing out letters to Percy and Charlie, who were unable to come. Mrs. Weasley came down first, following faint cries from the upstairs room.

As if startled by her presence, but more likely her hurried footsteps, they all jerked awake. Mrs. Weasley had a flushed face, her sleeves still rolled up to above the elbow, hair popping out of her once neat bun, "It's a boy!" she said quickly, giggling happily. She gathered up some more towels and some warm water and climbed the stairs again quickly.

The Weasley's cheered. Thirty minutes later, Hermione came downstairs, looking tired, but happy. She leaned against the door frame, watching the Weasley's happily chatter. Draco saw her first. He stood up and crossed the floor to her.

His movements caused the Weasley's to look up and see her and start cheering. Hermione smiled, as they all crowded around her. Not noticing that they just pushed Draco out of the way and he stood in the corner looking at them with disbelief, raising his eyebrows.

Hermione accepted her congratulations and told them that they could go upstairs one or two at a time to see the new baby, but they had to be quiet. They all scrambled up the stairs, startling Errol as they passed. Mr. Weasley stopped Harry on his way up, and asked to use Hedwig to send the letters to Percy and Charlie, and Harry agreed, seeing as Errol pretty much was used just for decoration now. Though, admittedly, he wasn't much decoration.

Draco walked to Hermione and wrapped his arms around her as she was turning around to face him, so he caught her about halfway. Since she was standing on a step his head rested on her shoulder for a change. "Hey." she said, slightly startled. She smiled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

He mumbled against her neck, "Can we go home now, please?" he begged.

"Yes, I'm sure Mrs. Weasley can handle anything that could possible come up." said Hermione looking down at him.

"She should be able to, she had, what, like 7 kids? I should hope so."

Hermione hit him. "Ow, watch it, that ring hurts!"

Hermione smiled and turned away from him. She called up the stairs and got the attention of Fred. "Hey, I'm going to head home, bloody exhausted. Tell your mum if she needs me, any time, I'm only a floo away."

Fred gave her the thumbs up and waved good-bye.

"What's his name?" Draco asked as they stepped by the fireplace.

"Caleb. Caleb William Weasley." she said.

They flooed away. Hermione stumbled up the stairs followed by Draco, who made sure the doors were locked. Hermione kissed Draco goodnight and meandered away towards his room, leaving him, despite being exhausted, yearning for her. He knew however, that she had to be at work again by 9 and didn't want a repeat of what happened a month ago.

---

On February 14th, Draco surprised Hermione. He knew she came in around midnight and was sound asleep in her bed. He snuck down stairs and thirty minutes later he came back upstairs with breakfast for two. He opened her door and peered inside.

She was sound asleep on one side of her bed, not sprawled in the middle like he was. The curtains were drawn around casting a deep red glow through the room. Hermione didn't even move when he came in. He set the food down on the unused side of the bed and went and crouched down by her side of the bed.

Hermione was sleeping on her stomach, one arm underneath the pillow, and one hand by her cheek. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and tendrils had escaped the hair bands elasticy hold and fell into her face, dancing over her eyes and cheeks. Her cheeks were rosy with the warmth associated with sleep and her lips were slightly parted.

He reached out softly and brushed the tendrils away, gently rousing her. Her eyes fluttered open, and she sucked in a deep breath. She smiled. "Hey you." she said softly, rolling over onto her back.

"Hey," he said sitting on the edge of the bed.

"What smells good?" she asked looking around, one hand rubbing her eyes. They fell onto the breakfast. The rose laying on top of the plates. "Oh Draco..." she said looking at him.

He silenced her with a finger over her lips, "I love you." he said

"I love you too." she said easily sitting up. She kissed him softly once and scooted over so he could sit on the bed with her. He reached down and brought up the tray and they ate. Hermione was leaning against Draco the whole time, and they just sat there, laughing, living in each other's company. That is, until Hermione had to go to work, at 10, but she got a good shift and got off at 6.

At 9, she showered and dressed. She told Draco not to fix dinner for she had plans, and be ready to go out at 6, casual wear would do. She herself took a duffle bag to work.

At work, there were frilly pink paper hearts, mainly from the children's ward that decorated the halls, and Hermione, for the occasion, wore a red shirt underneath her healers robes, and little heart studs in her ears.

Ricardo came up to her, at the end of her shift, while she was standing at a nurses station filling out a quick form to send home with a patient. "Alright, now what did we learn today?" she asked the 10 year old.

"Don't stick objects up your nose that don't belong up your nose." said the kid, embarrassed.

"That's right, and that includes your finger young man," she said handing the paper to his mother, a young witch, only a little older then Hermione herself. She smiled down at him, "bye Honey."

The little guy waved good-bye to her as she walked away. She smiled and continued her final portion of the sheet. Ricardo came up behind her and leaned against the desk. Hermione looked up at him and sighed before going back to writing on her paper.

Behind the station, nurses looked at them. There was an ongoing bet that eventually, before the end of spring, Hermione would surrender to Ricardo's good looks and charm, for no healer-in-training has resisted so far, and he's been at it for a couple of years. "Hey Hermione,"

"Hi." she said shortly, scrawling her signature at the bottom of the page and setting it in the in tray to be filed. She capped the pen and left it on the desk and tried to walk away. Ricardo stopped her. She turned around and looked at him.

"I've got a question," he said standing beside her. " If you were a pirate, would your parrot be on this shoulder,"he said tapping her left shoulder, the one closest to him, " or this shoulder?" he said reaching across her shoulders to tap her right shoulder, successfully wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

Hermione sighed and shrugged his arms off. "Do you mind?" she asked,, straightening out her robes again. She started walking away and he stepped in front of her. "What do you want?" she asked putting her hands on her hips.

"Calm down Hermione, no need to go all cattish." he said. Hermione's eyes glinted. "I just wanted to see if, after your shift, you'd want to go out, maybe to the Leaky Cauldron and get a drink."

Hermione bared her teeth. "No, how many times do I have to tell you that I'm madly in love with another man? I'm getting married for cripes sake." she said waving her hand in front of his face. "God, you disgust me, leave me alone." she said walking away. She shuddered as she passed through some doors.

Behind the nurses desk, some of the ladies chuckled. Not wanting to be embarrased he took off after her, and was stopped by a firm hand on his arm. He swirled around, ready to tell off the person who grabbed him. His nasty frown dropped off his face when he saw the stern face of Ellen Vablatsky. " Go bother your own healers-in-training and leave mine alone." she said before turning him loose.

Hermione quickly changed out of her hospital clothes and into her street ones. She walked down the hallway, and got the okay from Ellen to leave. Hermione could feel eyes on her as went down the stairs She was wearing tight blue jeans, a white long sleeved form fitting shirt, with a red trim down the neck that continued onto the shirt and cross crossed underneath her breasts. Her hair had been delicately tied back so that half was up and the other half was down, held by only one clip. Around her neck she wore the locket Draco had given her and her engagement ring was on, freshly polished, so it sparkled in the lighting. She only had a light dusting of make up on. She stopped by the welcome witches desk as she was leaving and pulled on her coat. She had one more stop to make before she got home. On her feet she wore dainty black flats, she only hoped that the sidewalks were shoveled.

Unfortunately as she was stepping outside to the apparition point she saw Ricardo, heading in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron. She sneered at him and with a quick turn on her heel she vanished.

---

Draco was getting impatient. It was 6:15 and Hermione wasn't home yet. He paced around inside the house, in front of the fireplace looking out the window. His dark blue jeans were rustling each time he took a step, his black shoes making soft sounds as he took each step. Those were the only sounds in the house. He checked his watch again at 6:20 and just as he was putting on his jacket to go outside to look for her, she came into the house.

"It's snowing...again!" she said pulling him outside to look. He shook his head, but couldn't help but smile. Simple things made her happy. "Well, come on, lets go!" she said. He reached back and turned off the foyer light, turned on the outside one and locked the door.

"And where are we going?" he asked as they strolled down the street arm in arm.

"You'll see," she said. They were heading into Hogsmeade. "First stop." she said walking into Honeydukes dragging him along. Together they bought 3 galleons worth of chocolates and candy in less then 15 minutes. "Next stop," she said dragging across the street.

She couldn't help but smile. They were heading in the general direction of the Hogs Head but at the last second, she turned and jerked him into the Three Broomsticks, his favorite casual restaurant.

Madame Rosemerta saw them come in and waved, "Your table is ready dear."

"Thank you, called Hermione. The Restaurant wasn't packed, but it was doing fairly well business. Hermione led Draco pass happy couples, joyous groups and sorrowing singles, drowning themselves in Fire Whiskey, to a small rounded both in the back beside the fireplace, right next to a frosty window.

Draco was happy, Hermione was happy because Draco was happy. They ordered their usual, and sat back in the booth, next to each other, Draco's arm around her shoulders, and one hand playing with her left ring finger, over and over moving the ring that rested on it. They had a fun night.

But it was when they got home and the lights were turned off that they had the real fun.

**A/N: I know, I know full of fluff...but it's important fluff, will see in next chapter, or maybe the chapter after that. As of today, I almost finished the total outline of this story and it's finally in a place where I won't lose it (my writing notebook, which I value more then gold.) Kudos to those who reviewed.**

**Courtney Dax**

**dragonqween27**

**b-ballgurl2**

**And while I know you guys who don't review are enjoying the story, at least that's what I think, but it you don't review I don't know what to fix and I don't know what you totally hate, and therefore can't make a better novel. Constructive criticism is ALWAYS welcome...just don't flame, because that does nothing but hurt spirits, and my spirit likes revenge... :-P **


	19. All I've Wanted

**A/N: I know, long wait, but I needed this chapter to be just perfect because it is the turning point in the whole story.**

The first day of spring came and Hermione welcomed in with open arms. Within a few weeks it was warm enough to go outside in just a light jacket, instead of her winter coat. On one particularly fine spring day Hermione awoke at the crack of dawn. At first she was puzzled as to why she awoke so early. She'd be working a normal shift for the past couple of weeks and her body had adjusted to waking up later. A moment after, her pondering ending, nausea twinged and her mad rush to hall bathroom began.

Ten minutes later, with her stomach emptied into the toilet, she emerged to find a curious-looking, tousled haired, shirtless Draco looking at her. "You locked the door. What's wrong?" he asked.

"My stomach was just upset, that's all." She said wiping her mouth. "I've got to get to work." she said looking at him.

He put his hands on her shoulders and made her face him. "Are you sure you're okay?" he asked looking at her with concern. She was very sweaty, her eyes were kind of out of focus, and she was pale.

"Yeah, just I feel a little sick, that's all."

"Maybe you should take a day off?" he asked when she leaned up against the doorframe and pressed her fingers to her temples.

"No, I've got class. It's non-venomous, but horrendously painful spider bites. Very important this time of the year."

"Are you sure?" he asked, repeating his question a second time.

"Positive." she said trying to smile. "I'm just going to go get ready."

"Alright," he said disbelieving her, but knowing that he couldn't force her to do anything. "I'm going to make breakfast."

"Okay," she said turning around at her doorway, "put a shirt on. You don't wanna burn yourself."

He smiled at her. "Maybe I do. Then guess who gets to heal me?"

She wrinkled her nose playfully and went to change into her robes.

Hermione, as the week went on didn't feel any better, so on her lunch shift on Friday, just two hours before she got off for the day, she headed to Ellen's office. She let herself in, saying the password, and quickly settled down with a book of symptoms. It read like a build-a-story book. She checked the symptoms of what she had and then at the end she would have the aliment. She quickly leafed through the book and all too quickly she came to the answer.

Her eyes grew wide as she read the page over once. Then again. She shook her head and looked at the title of the page again and thought, "this cannot be real!"

Nausea hit her like a tsunami and she found herself throwing the book down on Ellen's desk and rushing out the room. She turned right and hit the girls bathroom with a slam.

Her stomach emptied quickly enough, having nothing left in it almost from breakfast. She pulled the flush to the toilet and sat down on the lid. She leaned on the side of the stall and sighed. She was getting really fed up with this throwing up. She decided she needed to get down to the basics and find out what was wrong with her. If she'd read the paper right, one quick test would have been all she needed.

She was shaking as she pulled out her wand and with whispered words pointed her wand at herself. Minutes later she emerged from the stall with a look of wonder, guilt, shame and fear. She carefully slipped her wand back into her inside pocket and brushed her fingers across her abdomen.

Ellen walked into her office after the afternoon slump. Everything was the same as it always was that time of the day. The waiting room ceased to be filled to the brim, morning patients finally succumbed to the pain medicine and the she finally could enjoy the last sips of her morning coffee. She sat down at her desk and immediately could tell someone had been in her office. This wasn't unusual in any way for all of her students were allowed access to it, but all of them knew better then to leave a book on the desk. She picked it up, slightly miffed, and walked to a shelf to place it back into its proper place. She glanced down quickly at the page and her eyes widened. She knew in an instant who'd been in her office. Her only girl healer-in-training was in trouble.

Hermione, continued through the rest of her day, and by no choice of her own avoided Ellen for the day. Whenever Ellen would check in on Hermione, she would find her dealing with patients of her own. Taking temperatures, dressing wounds, applying potions and generally making them feel comfortable. Only when she looked deep into her eyes could Ellen see what a troubled girl Hermione actually was.

Just as Hermione was changing back into her street clothes did Ellen finally catch up with her.

"Hermione?" she asked as Hermione quickly gathered her stuff up and packed it into her bag. "Is there something you want to tell me?"

Hermione glanced up. _She couldn't possibly know._ "Um, no." she said quickly glancing back down, not being able to keep eye contact with her. She couldn't lie to her.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Hermione let out a sigh. That was the third time she'd been asked that question that day.

Hermione looked up at her mentor and was able to look at her. "No." she said. Her eyes began to well and she leaned back against the bed and put her hands to her face. She was sick of feeling so weak and worried. "But I'll deal with it." she said. She took a fortifying breath and stood up.

"You'll tell me if you need to." Ellen said. It wasn't a question._ The drama of growing up._

"Of course." said Hermione. This woman was one of the best women she'd ever met in her life. She put a tiny smile on her Ellen's sake and strolled out of the room.

It was three thirty when she got home. She decided that she wanted to stay in for the night and so she decided to start fixing a nice dinner for herself and Draco.

When Draco walked in at a quarter after five she'd fixed a nice salad, had cookies cooling on the window ledge, green beans boiling with bits of bacon and onions in it, potatoes sitting, steaming, in a bowl and a chicken just coming out of the oven.

"It smells good in here." said Draco hanging his black Auror's robes up on the rack by the door. Hermione smiled at him, trust it to be a man to be the one who always thought about his stomach. She heard his shoes hit the wall as he kicked them off and then the sound of his lazy stroll into the kitchen. "Hello, what's all this?" he asked kissing her cheek as she sliced into a chicken breast with one quick slip of her knife. She smiled when she saw it perfectly white and with juice.

"Dinner, what does it look like?" she asked. "Set the table will you?"

"Sure." he said whipping out his wand. He aimed a quick spell at the cutlery drawer and two sets of silverware came flying out and began to arrange themselves on the tiny dinning room table. He himself went to the cabinets and selected two plates and set them on the table.

"I made sweet tea to go with it." Hermione said when he poked his head into the refrigerator to grab drinks.

"You've got this whole thing planned out huh?"

"Nah, it was just sort of spur of the moment." she said carrying the chicken to the table. Hermione made small talk over the dinner.

She couldn't quite find the right way to say what she wanted to say. All too soon for Hermione dinner ended and she'd missed her chance during dinner. They quickly wrapped leftovers and stuck them in the refrigerator. She poured another two glasses of the tea and he grabbed the cookie tray and they went outside to sit on the swing.

The sun was just setting. Down the street they could hear the faint tinkling of the bell at the Three Broomsticks and judging by the laughter that erupted into the air from the pub Madam Rosemerta was doing very good business tonight. Across the street an old witch sat on her rocker on her porch and watched her four grandchildren run around, enjoying the warm night, catching the lightning bugs.

They both ate two cookies each and set the rest back. Hermione leaned against Draco and he wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She was curled up next to him and he gently rocked the both of them with a lazy push of his foot.

She rested uncomfortably, shifting. Draco laughed at her third roll over, "Hermione, can't you lay still?" he asked.

"No." she said rolling over again. This time she laid flat, her head in his lap, looking up at him. He smiled and ran his hand along the side of her face, brushing her hair behind her ear. She smiled and then sighed. "Draco, I've got something very important to tell you."

Draco looked at her weird. The last time she said this to him it was when she got into St. Mungo's, he couldn't imagine what it would be this time. "Okay." he said slowly.

She opened her mouth, shut it, wrinkled her brow and then stood up. Draco tried to follow but she put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "No, you wanna be sitting for this, trust me."

"What is it Hermione?"

"Draco," she said sighing, hoping that this wouldn't go in the wrong direction. "I'm pregnant." she said looking at him, her eyes full of concern, gazing deeply into his.

"What? A baby?" asked Draco, how brow wrinkled.

"Yeah, a baby." Hermione said in a half-whisper.

"A baby? A baby!" he said excitedly. He leapt up from his seat and grabbed her shoulders. "A baby?"

Hermione drew her head back from his to look at him in wonder. _Was he really that excited?_ "Yeah, Draco, a baby. I know we haven't talked about having a family, but you know, you know I cannot possibly get rid of it..." she said quickly waving her hands, stuttering just a bit.

"Get rid of it? What crazy things your saying! I would never want you to get rid o fit! It's a baby!" he said. He then roughly kissed her before leaping off of the porch and into the grass.

Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or cry so she ended up somewhere in the middle. She cried as she watched Draco spin in circles, do cartwheels and generally go crazy. She hugged herself and laughed through the tears.

Across the street the old witch was no longer looking at her grandchildren, but Draco as he whooped happily to the evening sky.

Hermione strolled down the porch her hands in her pockets. Just before she stepped off of the walkway to the grass, Draco fell backwards and looked up at the sky. He was breathing heavily and had a huge smile on his face.

Hermione waded her way through the grass, just barely in need of a cut, and sat down at his head. He looked up at her. "Hermione, I want a family more then anything."

Hermione smiled at him and ran her fingers through his hair. "Me too." she said simply.

They laid there until the sun had totally set. Draco stood up and pulled Hermione gently to her feet, pulling her close and kissing her softly.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and they leisurly strolled up the walkway. Hermione picked up the glasses and he grabbed the cookie tray.

Before the door could shut behind them, the old witch across the street could hear Draco ask, "can you tell yet? Come here and take off your shirt." Hermione's laugh floated through the night air and mingled with the laughter of her grandchildren. The old witch couldn't help but crack a smile.

**A/N: Well there you go, 5 pages, and it took me forever to write I know. I'm sorry, and it hurts me to say that the next update might not be until after June 6****th**** or 9****th****. I've got AP Testing, Graduation Project Presentation, Prom, many hours of studying, Finals, Graduation and my Graduation Party coming up. Plus I've got some good old fashioned bonding time with my new car (graduation present from my mom.) It's awesome. And you know who else is awesome, you guys. Keep up with the reviews!**

**Tefy**

**jihyunnie**

**dragonqween27**

**Courtney Dax**


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